Meant to Live
by Velvet Curtain
Summary: Harry decides that he doesn't want to be Dumbledore's chess piece and decides to go to school somewhere else until he's ready to kill or be killed. There are a few minor complications, however... Thanks DemonicK!
1. Default Chapter

_Inspired by _"_Meant to Live" The Beautiful Letdown. Switchfoot but unable to put song on site because of the stupid rules. Thanks to **ShivaniBlue** for saving this story from deletion!_

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**_Meant to Live_**

Prologue

by V. C. (Velvet Curtain)

**Words: **approx. 6500

**Microsoft Word Web Pages: **11

**Rating:** PG (according to me, not the site)

**Reasons: **Harry's kind of ticked, there's light romance, and a few things I don't think would be appropriate for very young children. It's my personal feeling, but feel free to disagree.

**Relationships:** Harry/multi, Ron/Hermione, OC/OC

**Summary:** Harry gets ticked at having no control over his own life, so decides to take a bit of a trip to regain that control. On the way, he makes some pretty amazing discoveries. Some tragedy, lots of drama (a lot like a soap opera, I think), light romance (for now...), slight OOC (no one can be completely IC, I don't think), etc. Enjoy!

**Disclaimer: **If I owned this, I would not be writing this.

**A/N: **Honestly, I don't know how far I'll take this, so enjoy it while it lasts! I got two lovely reviewers in response to Sample (thank you!) who decided on this. One voted all for this, and the other voted for the first (The Professor to Top All Professors, which I still might post, just for you, babe ;D) but the "third is a close second." So: here you go! To anyone who's reading this who has read _Twisted_, I'm really sorry. I'm not very into that, but if you really want me to continue, please e-mail me and tell me that, otherwise it'll just sit there and be there for whoever feels like reading four chapters of an incomplete story. :D Anyway, have fun and remember to tell me what you think!

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**Meant to Live**

It wasn't such a confusing statement, but it certainly packed a punch. Were people really meant to live? If they were, then why did people kill each other? After all, if everyone is meant to live, then wouldn't people never die? Or maybe people were _meant _to live, but it was just a given that they would so they didn't? What did it really mean _to live_? Did they mean physically breathing, or really _living_? That was what was on the mind of fifteen-year-old Harry James Potter, who was currently hidden away in his small bedroom at number four, Privet Drive on a particularly muggy day in mid-late June of the year 1996.

Harry didn't really think he would ever _live_, really. It was his head or Voldemort's, no in-between. How long could they "live while the other survives"? Harry wasn't really living anyways. He was trapped in a miserable household with Order members watching his every move. There was no escape. How long could Dumbledore keep him locked away before he went insane? Harry didn't want to find out, honestly.

He was sick of everyone controlling him, moving him around like a chess piece. It was as though Dumbledore controlled all of Britain as a chessboard, moving everyone around to fit his needs, sacrificing where he saw fit, and playing mind games with Voldemort, his opponent. Harry didn't want to be a chess piece (his were particularly violent), and he wanted to be in control of his own life. Yeah, yeah, the fate of the world was on his shoulders. But if he was supposed to defeat Voldiewart, shouldn't he get to have some fun before he did? It seemed reasonable to Harry. After all, if he died, at least he should have a life before he joined his parents and Sirius in whatever there was after life. Sirius lived his life. His parents lived their lives. Why shouldn't he?

In all honesty, Harry didn't even want to go back to Hogwarts the next year. He hated having everyone staring at him and whispering things behind his back, believing every rumor ever printed about him and looking to him as some sort of idol. Their hero. Harry still didn't know why people thought he was some hero. What had he done? Survived. Survived when others should have but didn't. Survived at times he didn't even want to survive. How did that make him a hero?

Where could he go? Where could he run to escape from himself? Where would people appreciate him for being Harry? Just Harry. Of course, he could turn Muggle. Give up everything to do with wizardry. Yeah. Right. Even if he wanted to, which he didn't, he wouldn't be able to. Dumbledore would have some say.

Did the world revolve around Dumbledore? It sure seemed like it. People lived their lives by what he said. Pretty pathetic, really. Yeah, he's pretty smart- wise old guy, really. But what right did he have to rule everybody else's lives?

Maybe he should go to China. Dumbledore didn't have any influence there. But, then again, the politics over there weren't exactly favorable at the moment. Australia was an option, where he could fit in fairly easily. Then again, that's the first place they'd look. He'd spoken to his friends a while ago about Australia, and they would tell Dumbledore. Africa? No, too weird. Too hot, as well. That meant South America was out of the option, too. North America? Harry's mind spun. The United States. America. There was no way they could find him there! There were so many people in America; no one would know where to begin looking for him! Of course, he couldn't be along the ocean. Too close. An inner state. He didn't want the South- that sounded far too country for his liking. But he didn't want too far north either- that would be far too cold. Where would they never expect him to go? One of the inner states: Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, or Illinois. Michigan was too near the sea- they would guess. Harry always had a distinct liking for the sea, though he'd never been there. Illinois was supposedly very windy- it might be nice. Ohio seemed to be pretty temperate, and Indiana was neutral. He didn't know much about the states, really.

But how would he escape? He had to find some way to get to the airport, not to mention he'd have to go to Diagon Alley and get quite a bit of money. He'd need a passport, and he'd need to enroll in a school over there. Under alias? No, that was probably illegal. The last thing Harry needed was to be on the bad side of the law. Besides, it wouldn't make much of a difference. People would recognize him by his scar miles away. He'd just have to enroll privately. Were there any good wizarding schools in Illinois, Indiana, or Ohio? Would they accept him? He should be getting his O.W.L. results back soon. Would they even have the same classes? He would need to make a transfer to a wizarding bank over there so he could access his vault in America. But, again … how was he supposed to do all this? Who would help him? No one would understand- they'd report him to Dumbledore. Except perhaps….

Harry rolled off his bed and dashed to his desk, pulling out a quill and parchment with hands trembling in excitement and anticipation.

_Dear Ginny,_

_I know this will seem odd, but I need your help and you seemed to be the only one who could help me. Please, even if you don't help me, don't tell anybody about this. _

_I was thinking lately, and I need to get away from everybody here. Well, mostly Dumbledore. I'm tired of him controlling my life. It's like Voldemort controls one half and Dumbledore controls the other half. I can't tell you exactly why this is so important to me, but that's pretty much the gist of it. I need to get away, and I need you to help me. I want to go to the States, preferably somewhere in Illinois, Indiana, or Ohio. Do you know of any boarding schools in that area that would accept me? Also, I need some way to escape this place and get over there. I'll need a passport and plane ticket, and I'll need to get a lot of money from my vault. I'll probably need to arrange some sort of account in America, too. I don't know all about the wizarding laws here or in America. Can you help me out? I really can't stand living like this anymore._

_Write back as soon as you can._

_Sincerely,_

_Harry_

Harry folded and sealed the letter and added it to the stack that would be delivered tomorrow by one of the Order members. He wasn't allowed to send anything by Hedwig, so a member always came by every three days to play postman.

Harry went back to his bed and relaxed in the summer warmth, rather suddenly appreciating the heat. Everything seemed a lot better than it had before. Maybe Harry had a hope now. Maybe he really was meant to live.

* * *

Four days later, Harry found himself holding Ginny's reply to his letter in his hands. The anticipation was dreadful. Taking a deep breath, Harry opened the letter quickly and read. 

_Dear Harry,_

_Well, I was certainly surprised to hear from you, much less like that. Don't worry; I won't tell anybody. I understand better than anyone what it's like to be controlled against your will. _

_I looked into it a bit (discreetly, of course), and I found that the only wizarding schools in America are in Arizona and Ohio. Lucky, isn't it? The school in Ohio is called McKinley's House of Magic, a boarding school. (If you can believe it, they're actually located in the middle of a city! Muggles think it's an abandoned antique store, but it has all kinds of diversions on it. In the middle of a town!) I can't promise they'll accept you, since I know you don't have your O.W.L. results back yet, but they seem pretty open to foreign students. Enrollment is 700 galleons a year, and then there's your books and uniform. Speaking of which, you can mail order those or go to a place in New York similar to Diagon Alley called Central Park Avenue. It's very interesting: you step through a tree in Central Park to get there! A tree! Anyway, I can't help much for the passport or the trip to the airport. Wouldn't your aunt and uncle do that? I mean, I know they hate you and all, but since it would be getting you out of their way for quite a while, wouldn't they be glad to do it? If not … we'll figure something out. I'll see what I can do about getting you to Diagon Alley. What do you need that you would only want me along to get with you? Something that would be embarrassing enough to convince the Order members to give us some space, but not so embarrassing that you wouldn't want me with you? Think on it. I haven't found anything in the law that says you couldn't do this. Of course, in America you aren't of age until you're eighteen, and the school system is sort of different, too, but there isn't anything too major. I'll keep looking, just in case. _

_Don't let Dumbledore get you down! Keep dreaming of America, and hopefully we'll have you out of here by the end of the summer. How long do you intend to stay there, anyway?_

_Best wishes,_

_Ginny_

Harry grinned at the letter, excitement coursing through him. He knew she would understand! After her experience in the Chamber of Secrets, there was no way that she could deny him. He didn't want to take advantage of her, but it really was ideal. There was a reason for everything.

Harry quickly pulled out a piece of parchment, eager to reply quickly. It really was too bad that he had to wait another three days until he could get it to her. He wished he could just use Hedwig. At least they weren't scanning his letters. That would be disastrous.

_Dear Ginny,_

_Thanks a lot. I trust you, _Harry paused when he wrote this, hesitating,_ which is more than I can say to Ron and Hermione._

_That sounds incredible! I can hardly wait to get there and see things for myself! I'll be sure to write you about it, since I can tell you're as interested in it as I am. I'm fairly certain that you're the only one I'll write to once I'm over there, and I would prefer that you not tell anyone about it. I want to last at least a year over there, preferably two. I'll probably come back when I graduate. Come to think of it, I probably could convince my aunt or uncle to help with my passport and transportation. They'll be happy enough to be rid of me (hopefully, for good). As for Diagon Alley … well, I'd say … er, new clothes? I desperately need some, so no one would have a hard time believing it. Anybody else would be too embarrassing, but I could say that you … have fashion sense and are more comfortable with this sort of thing? Would that work? We need to arrange this as soon as possible. I don't really care if I have to wait another year to be legal over there- I'll have more freedom than I do here, anyway. I'll send you my O.W.L. results as soon as I get them. Would you mind seeing if I'd get in? I would probably need you to send in my application as well. I'm very dependent on you, aren't I? _

_Well, get back to me soon. I'm getting incredibly restless here. Voldemort's been having a lovely time torturing my sleep lately. Nothing too important, but always about Sirius. Over and over again. Taunting. Eurgh. But I'll keep my thoughts on America. Thanks again, Ginny._

_Sincerely,_

_Harry_

Harry folded up the letter, not sealing it yet in case he needed to add something later, and laid it on his desk. With a heavy sigh, Harry stood and went to his door. If he had to ask his relatives for help with a passport and transportation, he may as well get it over with. He trudged down the stairs to the kitchen, where Aunt Petunia was preparing dinner and chatting with Uncle Vernon. They fell silent when he entered.

"I want to leave," he told them flatly, leaning against the threshold. "For good. But I'll need your help. The Order wants to keep me here."

Uncle Vernon looked over at him suspiciously.

"What kind of help do you need, _exactly_?"

"I'm not allowed to leave the house without supervision. I can take care of everything but my passport and transportation to the airport."

"Where are you going?" questioned Aunt Petunia, eyes widening at the word "passport."

"America. If everything goes as planned, I'll be there from late this summer until I'm of age. I'll never darken your doorstep again."

"So they have _your kind_ of schools over there?" asked Uncle Vernon huffily, though he sounded very interested in getting Harry out of their home for good.

"Two of them that I know of. One of my friends is going to send in my application for me as soon as I get my O.- exam results back. Even if I don't get in, I'm going. I'd rather live as a Mug- I mean, as a normal person than stay here."

Oh Holy Merlin, this was leaning in his direction! Harry prayed fervently that his tables were turning. He could practically see his uncle's brain gearing around in his head, and his aunt looked incredibly thoughtful as well. She looked at Uncle Vernon thoughtfully.

"Vernon?"

"It could be managed," said Uncle Vernon gruffly, his beady eyes sparkling. "Give me your passport information and I'll take it to the office to get it verified. As for the airport … I'll book you a flight in advance for whatever date we can manage and we'll sneak you in. Marge should be returning from Majorca in August sometime. If the dates coincide … yes, yes, we can manage. How exactly are you paying for this, boy?"

"I have plenty of money in my world," Harry bit back a smirk at their shocked expressions. "My parents happened to be very wealthy, and they left everything to me. It's all in- er, _our_ kind of money, though, so I have to get some exchanged for, er, _your_ kind of money when I go to the bank next under the pretense of going shopping for clothes." Harry took specific care not to make any mention of his "abnormality" when he spoke, knowing that was a sure-fire way to lose everything that he had just gained. His aunt's and uncle's dumbfounded expressions were very gratifying. He saw his uncle swallow thickly.

"How much money are we talking about here?" he asked, his voice cracking a bit.

"Enough that I could retire very comfortably after a few holidays in Majorca," grinned Harry. He had no doubt that he had much more than that (probably enough to _retire_ in Majorca in a large mansion with 100 acres of manicured grounds and dozens of hired hands), but didn't feel it would be to his advantage to state that in front of his greedy aunt and uncle. They were both gaping, anyway, so he had said enough. Uncle Vernon's face was very interesting to watch- rather like an ever-changing thermometer: ash, puce, purple, green, ooh, cherry, that was new, puce, ash, purple, etc.

"Very-" Vernon cleared his throat- "Very well then. Get me your, erm, passport information and I'll, er, I'll get right on it."

"All right. Thanks." That said, Harry departed the kitchen and nearly flew up to his room, collapsing on his bed in gales of laughter and disturbing Hedwig, who ruffled her feathers indignantly.

"Sorry, Hedwig," he choked through his laughter. Still trying to control his hysterical amusement, Harry unfolded his letter to Ginny to add a quick postscript:

_Ginny, you're a genius!_

* * *

When Harry finally received a reply from Ginny, he noticed that she chose not to comment on his lack of trust in his best friends (he had no doubt that she completely understood his reservations), but she requested a letter written in a format that she could show to her parents and the Order in which he asked for a trip to Diagon Alley with Ginny for new clothing (he still blushed at the thought) and added a few encouraging words at the end in response to his casual mention of his dreams. 

_Who knows? Maybe you can find a decent Occlumency teacher in America (Dumbledore was being dense when he assigned Snape to something so important) and you'll never have anymore Moldy Cheese dreams again! It's worth looking into, anyway. Just remember, if you start feeling horrible about Sirius, just of all the good times you had with him. Remember Christmas, when he was singing so much we were all ready to lock him in Buckbeak's room for the rest of the holidays; or remember all the times he made shots at Kreacher and his (previous) family (which I have no doubt they fully deserved). Just hang in there, scar-head. (Teasing, by the way. ) _

_Sweet dreams,_

_Ginny_

_P.S. You're welcome._

Harry had never been more up-lifted by any words in his entire life. Well, perhaps he had, but he couldn't recall. That paragraph had cracked a smile on his face that only Ginny's letters could bring out. "Moldy Cheese"? Well, it was better than You-Know-Who or He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named, anyway. He had found that remembering Sirius during the holidays, thrilled to have Harry with him, did help to pacify the recurring nightmares, whether Voldemort-induced or otherwise. The obvious Malfoy joke ("scar-head") had surprisingly also elicited a grin. He probably would've been concerned if it had been Ron or Hermione, but for some reason he knew that Ginny had no alternate intentions other than just … a joke.

_Is that why I trust her so much?_ Harry wondered, looking out his window at the dull, cloudy blue sky. _Because she's always up-front and honest?_

**_Well, not always_,** a little voice in his head reminded him of dung bombs, Crookshanks (poor cat), and Imperturbable Charms. Harry smirked to himself. She could lie like a pro when it came down to it. Probably even better than Dumbledore. So why did he trust her?

_Because she wouldn't betray you_, came the first thought in his head. _She understands what it's like to be lied to and wouldn't put you through that all over again._

Even the second voice in his head couldn't find any fault in that reasoning. Ginny could be trusted. Now it was all a matter of getting to Diagon Alley and back again safely without drawing the suspicion of the Order. Would they insist on following him into Gringotts? It would be hard to disguise his transactions in changing for Muggle money (in such large amounts, no less) and setting up an account in America with an Order member breathing down his neck. What a delightful prospect.

Harry quickly wrote a rather embarrassing letter to Ginny about the shopping spree and left it on his desk with the other letters, his anticipation growing with every second. This had to work out for good. It just had to. That night, Harry found himself praying to every deity he'd ever heard of that this would all work out the way he wanted it to-- begging, really.

* * *

When Tonks came to deliver his letters a few days later, Ginny was with her. Harry's heart soared. That had to mean…. 

"Come on, Harry," Tonks grinned at him as she barged into his room with Ginny hot on her heels. Ginny smiled at him and winked. "We're going to Diagon Alley!"

Ten minutes later found Harry in front of Gringotts wizarding bank with Ginny.

"We can't follow you to your vault," Tonks whispered. "We'll just be waiting outside while you take care of your business. This is one of the most secure wizarding buildings in Britain- you'll be fine."

Harry caught another wink from Ginny as they entered the building. Harry could hardly believe their luck!

While at Gringotts, Harry: discovered that he had approximately 2,748,926,365,532 galleons (Holy Merlin!) not including the Potter family vault that he couldn't access until he was of age (Harry was speechless); opened a vault in the New York branch of Gringotts; withdrew enough money for a plane ticket, passport, and clothing (remembering to exchange some for Muggle money); and covertly transferred two thousand galleons to the Weasley family vault (snickering to himself as he made sure they couldn't return it to him). Ginny helped him transport the money by offering the money pouches she had brought from home so that it wouldn't look too conspicuous.

After they finally left Gringotts (meeting up with a rather disgruntled Tonks), they went to Madam Malkin's and various other clothing stores in Diagon Alley before they went into the Muggle world to buy Harry some Muggle clothes, which he needed desperately. Ginny, it turned out, had impeccable fashion sense. She led him from store to store at a quick pace, picking out stylish, form-fitting clothes, making him try them all on, and then rushing through the check-out line. Ginny was so incredibly no-nonsense that it took only two hours for Harry to have an entirely new wardrobe, plus contacts so he wouldn't be so recognizable in America (though they told Tonks it was for better flying visibility). Even Tonks had a difficult time keeping up with them.

"You made a very good choice in asking Ginny, Harry," she had said quietly to Harry after a particularly heated argument with a sales clerk about the bargain discount on a pair of jeans. "I've never seen such a shopper!"

By the time they returned to Privet Drive, Harry was exhausted and hungry (it being nearly five o'clock), but Ginny and Tonks were complimenting each other on jobs well done. Ginny helped Harry store his new clothes in his wardrobe and hide the money where Tonks wouldn't see it. She shot him another grin and wink, squeezing his shoulder in a friendly gesture as she left with Tonks. After they were gone, Harry grabbed what remained of his Muggle money and went down to the kitchen.

"How much?" he questioned, no emotion in his voice. His aunt motioned for him to sit down and set a plate in front of him, shocking Harry.

"Eat," she ordered coolly. Uncle Vernon then looked up from his own plate at Harry and named an amount. Harry quickly counted it out, somewhat surprised that he still had a good deal of Muggle money left, but he supposed he'd need that once he got to New York. Uncle Vernon's eyes bulged at the money pouch, but he kept his mouth thankfully shut.

Harry ate quickly, thanked them both quietly, and returned to his room to mull over the day's events in his bed.

The next week, Harry received his O.W.L. results. He waited until the Order member had left before he ripped open the letter excitedly and scanned it quickly.

_These are the Ordinary Wizarding Level results for Harry James Potter. _

_(OO Over Outstanding (worth three and one half O.W.L.s), O Outstanding (worth three O.W.L.s), EE Extra Excellent (worth two and one half O.W.L.s), E Excellent (worth two O.W.L.s), AA Above Acceptable (worth one and one half O.W.L.s), A Acceptable (worth one O.W.L.), P Poor (worth ½ O.W.L.s), D Dreadful (worth no O.W.L.s))_

_Astronomy: A_

_Care of Magical Creatures: O_

_Charms: EE_

_Defense Against Dark Arts: OO_

_Divination: EE_

_Herbology: AA_

_History of Magic: P_

_Potions: E_

_Transfiguration: E_

_Total O.W.L.s: 18 ½ _

_Congratulation, Mr. Potter, on receiving eighteen and one half Ordinary Wizarding Levels. The N.E.W.T.s you may take are as follows: Care of Magical Creatures, Charms, Defense Against Dark Arts, Divination, and Transfiguration. Over all, the top ten results stand as follows:_

_Hermione J. Granger _

_Terry R. Boot _

_Lisa M. Turpin _

_Harry J. Potter_

_Anthony B. Goldstein_

_Padma A. Patil _

_Draco S. Malfoy_

_Mandy T. Brocklehurst_

_Justin L. Finch-Fletchly_

_Hannah E. Abbot _

_In Gryffindor, the results stand as follows:_

_Hermione J. Granger_

_Harry J. Potter_

_Parvati A. Patil_

_Neville C. Longbottom_

_Dean M. Thomas_

_Ronald B. Weasley_

_Lavender K. Brown_

_Seamus F. Finnigan_

_In Hufflepuff, the results stand as follows:_

_Justin L. Finch-Fletchly_

_Hannah E. Abbot_

_Susan A. Bones_

_Ernie T. Macmillan_

_Morag D. MacDougal_

_Sally-Anne V. Perks_

_Eric N. Hummer_

_In Ravenclaw, the results stand as follows:_

_Terry R. Boot _

_Lisa M. Turpin_

_Anthony B. Goldstein_

_Padma A. Patil_

_Mandy T. Brocklehurst_

_Michael H. Corner_

_Cassandra G. Moon_

_William P. Cromer_

_In Slytherin, the results stand as follows:_

_Draco S. Malfoy_

_Theodore V. Nott_

_Blaise T. Zabini_

_Millicent M. Bulstrode_

_Pansy O. Parkinson_

_Vincent R. Crabbe_

_Gregory G. Goyle_

_Congratulations again, Mr. Potter, and the best of wishes as you pursue your choice of careers._

_Sincerely,_

_The Examiners:_

_Professor L. Tofty_

_Professor G. Marchbanks_

_Professor J. Flannery_

_Professor S. Carmichael_

_Professor M. Lennox_

Harry breathed a sigh of relief and reread the letter, pleased to note that there were only a few DA members who had been beaten by non-DA members. He quickly wrote to Ginny with his results, along with the application Ginny had sent him a while ago for him to fill out. (Harry still couldn't figure out why they wanted to know if he had ever attempted an Animagi transfiguration.)

It was with great anticipation that Harry sent said letter to Ginny, and it was with great relief that he received a reply to his application six days later, via Ginny's abnormally thick letter. Harry slit open the red wax seal with trembling fingers, took a deep, calming breath, and finally looked down to read the letter.

_Dear Mr. Potter,_

_We at McKinley's House of Magic have reviewed your application to our school with great consideration, and have taken into account your unique position and requests._

_We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted. We will be delighted to include you in our functions and enhance your magical learning. However, due to your situation, we have included some details that you may find helpful and some restrictions on your part._

_McKinley's House of Magic was founded by President McKinley during the earlier years of his presidency, along with Haven Academy of Wizarding Skills in Arizona. McKinley's is located in Ohio, President McKinley's home state, and is thought by Muggles to be a dilapidated, abandoned antique store on a street corner. Ohio is one of the most wizard-populated states in all of the United States, many being mistaken for Amish folk or farmers. Our school is very focused on polishing our own skills and pushing to the best of our ability, as well as interacting and learning about and with the Muggles around us. As there is little room for any magical field games or sports, students at McKinley's take part in the Muggle hobbies of: music, dance, gymnastics, basketball, indoor soccer, swimming, indoor track, art, drama, and design. Also available are several clubs, a few of which include: creative writing, chess, scrap-booking, technology, film, foreign studies, yearbook, etc. Students are encouraged to spend their free time in an activity of such sort or exploring the city we live in. Field trips to Muggle museums, lectures, parks, and other Muggle forms of entertainment or education are not rare at McKinley's. We pride ourselves on our American freedom and curiosity, and no one at our school is close-minded. We hope that you will keep an open mind while attending McKinley's. Though it is indubitably of interest to you, there are also a number of student exchange programs to wizarding schools across the globe, among which are included China, Canada, the Netherlands, Africa, Germany, Spain, Cuba, Australia, Russia, and France. _

_We do not have uniforms at McKinley's, but there are dress code restrictions. The men's codes are:_

_Tops and bottoms are to be worn at all times, and must be of appropriate manner. Clothes are to be in good condition (no rips, stains, etc.) and presentable. Sleeveless shirts are not appropriate for the classroom._

_Modest attire is required. Any clothes that are too tight or baggy, show more skin than permitted, or display a sexual/morally wrong message are not to be worn. Also, chains or any other large accessories are not acceptable. _

_Robes must be worn at all times in the classroom. Color and style may be varied, but all robes must fit and be presentable, with nothing attached and/or pinned to them, unless a club or activity badge, pass, or other approved memento._

_No hats or other hair accessories are to be worn in the classrooms. This includes bandanas, headbands, sweatbands, beads, etc. Hair must be of a natural tone (red, black, brown, blonde) and may be styled however you choose in accordance with above guidelines. _

_Piercings are highly disproved but not against the rules, though the administrators urge you to abandon all such body adornments during the school term. Tattoos that are visible when in summer attire (shorts, sleeveless T-shirt, sandals) are not permitted. If you do have one, it is to be covered in some way (clothing or make-up) at all times. _

_Jackets, sweaters, shirts, and other school spirited items are available for sale and may be worn at any time within the school or in wizarding company. You may not wear school-related items, robes, or other wizarding items in Muggle company unless said Muggle is aware of the wizarding community._

_Any disobedience to these guidelines results in a dress code warning. Three dress code warnings result in a warning slip. Three warning slips result in a detention. After a detention, only two warning slips are needed for another detention. Four detentions result in an in-school suspension and notification of your legal guardians. If you receive two more detentions following an in-school suspension, a meeting with your legal guardians is required and further discipline could include out of school suspension, physical labor, fine, or expulsion. Gum is not allowed in the classroom, and you will be charged with a fine of five sickles should you be found to have any on your person. Food is likewise not permitted in class and a fine of three sickles if you are found with any on your person. Teachers may give out warning slips for interruptions or disturbances in class or hold you for a lunch detention, in which you spend your lunch hour with the teacher that gave you the lunch detention doing whatever he/she deems necessary to properly scold you. Also, teachers may hand out detentions on hand should a student or class become uncontrollable. Teachers are also allowed to regulate their strictness on tardiness and classroom rules. Three tardies are a warning slip, and being found out of the classroom without a pass or note from a teacher, student teacher, or other authority will also result in a warning slip or, if deemed reasonable, detention._

_The classes available at McKinley's House of Magic are, in alphabetical order: Advanced Ancient Runes, Advanced Astronomy, Advanced Charms, Advanced Defense, Advanced Defensive Magic, Advanced Divination, Advanced History, Advanced Muggle Studies, Advanced Potions, Advanced Magical Creatures, Advanced Magical Plants, Advanced Transformulation, Ancient Runes, Astronomy, Charms, Defense, Defensive Magic, Divination, Historical Magic, Muggle Agriculture, Muggle History, Muggle Politics, Potions, Study of Magical Creatures, Study of Magical Plants, Transformulation, and, of course, the extra-curricular clubs, groups, and activities. Determined by your grades (we grade on the same level), you are recommended to take Advanced Charms, Advanced Defensive Magic, Advanced Divination, Advanced Potions, Advanced Magical Creatures, and Advanced Transformulation. Also, we would like to recommend Defense, Astronomy, and Study of Magical Plants. Classes transpire for one and one half hours every other day, with four subjects per day, giving you a choice of eight classes. Should you wish, you may choose one study period to be spent in the library during which you may do your class work and research without taking time out of whatever after-class activities you may participate in. For an extra fee, some students choose to learn the Muggle studies of Literature, Grammar, Math, Algebra, Calculus, Geometry, Science, World History, Cultures, or Languages, which includes Spanish, French, German, Latin, as well as some Gaelic, Chinese, Japanese, and a few African tribal languages as well. If you wish to be a part of these extra classes, please notify us ahead of time so that we may prepare accordingly and give you more details._

_Term begins on August twentieth, 1996. Due to your age and grades, you will be placed in the eleventh grade as opposed to your sixth year. Enclosed is a list of school supplies you may need for the subjects available to you as well as a copy of the McKinley's House of Magic Code of Conduct and Regulation Handbook. You will be expected to meet our standards accordingly. You may purchase any school supplies in Central Park Avenue. A tree in the center of Central Park in New York, New York is marked with an owl insignia. Place your thumb on the sign and step forward into the tree and you will find yourself in Central Park Avenue. Please be aware of Muggles. If you need further assistance, you may seek instruction at the hot dog stand at the entrance to Central Park from the _Presidential Dogs_ hot dog company. The vendor will direct you. If you need any more help, please feel free to contact us with any questions or concerns you may have. The only way to reach McKinley's House of Magic is via the Floo Network, or, should you prefer Muggle traveling, get to Xenia, Ohio, and meet the McKinley's representative in front of _AutoZone_ at precisely four o'clock P.M. on the twentieth of August. New students must be gathered in Lincoln Hall by half past four for the introduction and initiation, during which you will be introduced to McKinley's House of Magic's population (particularly you, as you are the first foreign student to house with us for over a decade) and shown to your dormitory. You will also be given a quick tour of the House to familiarize yourself with the location of classrooms and dormitories, as well as places such as Lincoln Hall, the kitchen, swimming pool, sports arena, dormitories, etc. We dine at five o'clock, when the other students arrive, and classes begin the next morning at nine o'clock. _

_In accordance with your particular circumstances, we have spoken with our government, administrators, staff, and will speak with our students. No one aware of your presence at McKinley's is permitted to speak of you to family or friends outside of our House unless they have gained specific permission. If they do, they are to refer to you as Harry Patterson rather than Harry Potter. Unfortunately, to secure your secrecy, you will not be permitted to spend vacations outside of McKinley's without a thorough interview of whomever you wish to spend them with. They must be approved by the Headmaster, Dr. Keatley, and be sworn to secrecy on your whereabouts. If a person looks for you at our House, you will take the name Harry Patterson and do your best to appear to be anyone other than yourself. You must be very cautious. Should you require extra protection during your traveling, please notify us and we will send assistance immediately. I am afraid that there is no possible way for us to protect you from the questions and attentions of our students short of threatening detentions and warnings, which we hope we will not have to resort to in light of the circumstances. Please be patient with your fans, but should you encounter any problems, please feel free to speak to one of your teachers, myself, or Dr. Keatley. If necessary, classes and dormitories can be rearranged. _

_I am aware that you wish to retain one contact in your homeland. Correspondence will be slow, limited to perhaps one letter per week due to traveling and other details. If you would submit all of your letters to my office, I will see to it that it is delivered to your contact discreetly. Your letters will remain private. I will in no way violate your property in this exchange, so you may rest assured that no one is reading your mail but you and your contact._

_As of this moment, you are a part of McKinley's House of Magic. You may pay your tuition when you arrive. If you have any concerns, questions, inconveniences, or comments, feel free to owl us. We realize the difficult situation you are in, and we are willing to work with you in order to insure your safety and secrecy. We wish you the best of luck and look forward to welcoming you to our school._

_Highest Regards,_

_Jocelyn Davis_

_Overseer_

Harry stared at the letter in amazement, reading it over and over again. It was real. He was really going to attend an American wizarding school. It was amazing! This was all coming to life before his eyes. Harry could hardly breathe with the anticipation. He could hardly remember ever feeling this elated before now.

Harry closed his eyes and sent a silent prayer of thanks to whichever god had answered his pleadings and collapsed on his bed, grinning up at his ceiling. He may have been leaving the place he had called home for such a long time, but he felt that it was going to be worth it. Confusing at first, very different, rather awkward, and probably nerve-wrecking, but definitely worth it.

Beyond excited, Harry rolled off his bed to scratch off a letter to Ginny. She was going to be excited for him. He knew it, and he couldn't wait for her reply. He had an odd feeling that he would have trouble sleeping that night.

* * *

**A/N: **First chappie! I hope my grammar is okay and I didn't confuse you too much (I have a reputation of doing so). I think it went a bit too quickly (I really could have drawn that out), but I was in a fast mood, I guess. I'm sure some of you will recognize some parts of this from the sample. I did try not to change it too much, but I corrected wherever I saw mistakes that I missed before. I follow my own rules, I might add. I know very well that the highest score you can get is twelve for the O.W.L.s (or was it N.E.W.T.s?), but I needed to change it to suit my purposes. Please don't kill me! This will be AU as of July 16th, 2005 (YES! I can't wait!), so bear with me. I'm having my fun. Please, give me whatever criticism or compliments you have floating around in that head of yours. Reread the chapter if you have to, but I do enjoy being corrected. (Which everyone thinks is odd except me.) Hope you enjoyed it!

Love,

V.C.


	2. Getting There

_Inspired by _"_Meant to Live" The Beautiful Letdown. Switchfoot but unable to put the song on the site because of the idiotic rules. Blame the site, thank **ShivariBlue** for saving this story from deletion._

* * *

_**Meant to Live**_

Chapter One: Getting There

by V. C. (Velvet Curtain)

**Words: **approx. 13400

**Microsoft Word Web Pages: **9

**Rating:** PG (according to me, not the site)

**Reasons: **Harry's kind of ticked, there's light romance, and a few things I don't think would be appropriate for very young children. It's my personal feeling, but feel free to disagree.

**Relationships:** Harry/multi, Ron/Hermione, OC/OC

**Summary:** Harry gets ticked at having no control over his own life, so decides to take a bit of a trip to regain that control. On the way, he makes some pretty amazing discoveries. Some tragedy, lots of drama (a lot like a soap opera, I think), light romance (for now...), slight OOC (no one can be completely IC, I don't think), etc. Enjoy!

**Disclaimer: **If I owned this, I would not be writing this.

**A/N:** First off, I would like to thank all my lovely reviewers and apologize for the long-time-coming chapter. I wanted to add in some foreshadowing and recheck my grammar, though I can't claim perfection. I _will, _in fact, be putting up _The Professor to Top All Professors_, but I do need to work through some things. For those of you who want a reason for the delay, I shall say that yes, I do have a social life, and yes, I do go to school. Tomorrow is my FINAL day of exams! WOOHOO! It's thrilling, no? I only have one last exam tomorrow (Algebra- curse it all, my worst subject) and then I'm out for the summer! Whoopee! Sorry. I'm slightly excited, if you can't tell. I'm actually reviewing right now (since it covers the whole year, I'm going over exponential notations and scientific notation). Fun, eh? Yes, well, sorry if the OCs are a bit overwhelming, but don't worry- they do have a point! Enjoy!

* * *

**1. Getting There**

Two weeks later, just before Harry's birthday, Uncle Vernon came home from work one day with a passport and a plane ticket for the first of August to New York. Harry was ecstatic, and immediately wrote to Ginny.

_Dear Ginny,_

_I've got them! Uncle Vernon got my passport and ticket! On the first, Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia (and Dudley) will sneak me and my trunk out to their car and get me to the airport. My uncle's sister is returning from Majorca then. The Order won't know what hit them! I'll be gone before they can do anything!_

_Everything's ready and in place- I can hardly wait! I'm finally going to America! Can you believe it? In two days I'm going to be on a plane over the ocean … Unbelievable! I'll write you all about everything, but it will take a while. I can't write until I get to school because they have to deliver our letters- I haven't got a clue how. I'm starting to get nervous. An entirely new school. Different classes, different teachers, different friends and classmates, different dorm, different sports, different everything! It's going to be so weird to adjust to a similar but almost completely different culture. _

_I suppose this is my last letter until late August then. I really can't thank you enough for everything you've done for me, Ginny. You're becoming my best friend pretty quickly, so quickly that it's almost scary. But really, there isn't anyone I can trust more than you. Thank you so much! _

_Best,_

_Harry_

Harry set down his quill with a sigh. Tomorrow, an Order member would be arriving with his birthday gifts. The next day, Harry would be on a flight to New York and entirely new life. It was surreal.

* * *

July thirty-first dawned bright and early with an orange-red sun, and come midday came a knock on his door. Soon Harry was buried in gifts from the Weasleys, Hermione, Hagrid, Remus, and all his other friends. Harry was nearly shocked by the amount of presents. He thanked Kingsley Shacklebolt, who had delivered, and set about opening all of them. 

Mrs. Weasley had sent her normal cakes and pies. Ron had sent some Cannons memorabilia along with a copy of _Witch Weekly_ with his face across the front and a Chocolate Frog card with _his_ face on it. Harry was slightly stunned, having no knowledge of this new development, and blushed when he saw the title of the magazine: "Hogwart's Hottest Hero: Why We Love Harry Potter." He'd read it later, just to make sure they weren't printing any more lies. It might be more informative than the _Daily Prophet_ that he was _not_ getting, courtesy of Dumbledore, or the tight-lipped Order members. Ginny had sent some American reading material, Muggle and magical alike, along with a singing card, which she said was "just for tradition's sake." He laughed when he read that, remembering her other singing cards very well. In her package came the best wishes from Bill and Charlie, who had gotten together to give him some books of ancient curses, hexes, and jinxes. Hermione had sent him (surprisingly) some jewelry that she insisted was quite stylish in the Muggle world. Coral and shark-toothnecklaces, wristbands and bracelets with the same style, and even a few rings and an earring. He didn't know why _Hermione_ would send him an _earring,_ but he wrote it off as one of her quirks. Hagrid, along with his famous rock cakes, had sent him a Magical Creatures text including how to treat injured creatures and what uses their products had in potions, charms, etc. Good book, really. Remus Lupin had sent perhaps the most welcomed gift of all: a pensieve. Not just any pensieve. It wasn't like Dumbledore's at all. It was a cool, silver, cauldron-like basin, and the only thing that determined it as a pensieve were the smoky memories swirling underneath the lid that had been secured for traveling. Remus explained in his letter that he had placed all of his memories of Harry's parents in the pensieve. He still had the memories, of course, but they weren't as heavy on his mind, and he admitted that it was somewhat of a relief to share the memories that sometimes brought pain upon remembrance. Harry was very much looking forward to discovering more about his parents, but it would have to wait until America. The Creevey brothers had sent him an album of pictures from the DA, telling the story of every success. Looking at the photographs, Harry found that he really did act like a leader in the DA, and he experienced all over again the joy of seeing the students under his leadership accomplish something. It was a record of his achievement. It was just the note along with the album that was slightly depressing:

_Dear Harry,_

_We put this together to show you just how great of a teacher you are. We can't wait until school starts up again and we can be in the DA again! See you at school,_

_Colin and Dennis Creevey_

All the Ravenclaw members of the DA had compiled all their notes of the DA classes into a book, recording all of their achievements and experiences, how the DA had helped them, all their failures and successes. There were even a few diary entries from some of the girls that had been torn from the precious notebooks, and there were even some book pages ripped from books that held notes in the margins. It was charmed to speak in the voices of whoever had written the notes if Harry said the right incantation. Fascinating, to say the least.

The Hufflepuff DA members had also worked together to gather everything bad they had ever heard anyone say about Umbridge and put it together so that if Harry tapped the enchanted parchment (which portrayed an ugly caricature of Umbridge running from centaurs) with his wand, the voices of the people saying the insults would come from the parchment, loud and clear. Harry nearly fell off his bed when he heard Hannah Abbot let off a round of expletives about Umbridge that Ron would have been proud of, surprised speechless.

The members of the DA in Gryffindor had been creative as well. They had created a banner, with a red background and all writing in gold. On every corner was a Gryffindor lion, roaring and pacing. Around the border were hundreds of little Harrys chasing hundreds of little snitches on Firebolts. In the center, a characterized Harry was kicking Umbridge out of Hogwarts with a herd of centaurs behind him and all of the DA cheering. They even portrayed McGonagall waving her walking stick at her, and Peeves raining raspberries and water balloons on the fleeing frog. Harry was greatly amused by this, and determined to display the banner in his dormitory at McKinley's House of Magic if he could.

Fred and George had sent him numerous WWW products for "trial" as well as a fair amount of money. They had made him a partner in business, not listening to any argument, and apparently business was paying off admirably if the amount of money in Harry's hands was anything to go by. Harry couldn't wait to test some of the new prank items at McKinley's. He was really going to live it up when he was in America, and pranking was only one of the things he had in mind. He had to live up to his father's title, after all. Not to mention that of his godfather and mentor.

All in all, it was the wealthiest birthday Harry had ever experienced, and he found himself with at least half a dozen birthday cakes. It would be a miracle if he managed to get them all to America in one piece. Highly improbable, actually, but well-worth the risk, in Harry's opinion.

Harry spent the rest of the afternoon writing to everyone who had sent him birthday gifts, finding it difficult to explain that he wouldn't be there for their next year at Hogwarts and why he was leaving so suddenly and drastically. He knew that Hermione and Mrs. Weasley would probably be in tears. It was hardest to explain to Remus.

_Dear Remus,_

_I can't thank you enough for your gift. It is far and beyond the best birthday present I have ever received. I can't wait to look through those memories. Only you can possibly know how much it means to me. It makes me hesitate to do what I'm about to do._

_I'm going away. I can't tell you where, or I would. I'm not telling anybody. Not even Ron or Hermione. I've arranged for schooling elsewhere, though I can't say where. I just can't stay. That's not to say that I don't love everyone here, or that I'm so unhappy. Really, that's not it. I just feel that lately I've had no control over my life. Dumbledore has confirmed that, and I refuse to let him control me like a chess piece. It's like Voldemort controls one half of my life, and Dumbledore controls the other. I'm going to a place where I can live my life without Dumbledore and the Order breathing down my neck or Voldemort after my head. I know the consequences of my actions. I know that Dumbledore will try to find me (everyone will, I'm guessing), but I also know that he won't be able to. I will find a way to keep up to date on all that's happening back here, but I'm not going to be a part of it for a while. I will come back. It's not like I'm running away. I'm just taking a break to be a normal person for a year or two. I'm not sure whether it will be just one year or if I'll finish my education at this new place, but I promise that I will come back and I'll be better than ever, ready to take on whatever Voldemort wants to throw my way or whatever guilt-trip Dumbledore wants to toss me. I hope you'll understand when I say that this is something I have to do. I'll go crazy if I don't._

_I will miss you, perhaps more than anyone else here. You're the only connection to my parents that I have anymore, and the only one who's always believed in me, listened to me, and talked to me like I was a normal person, your best friend's son, not The Boy Who Lived. Even Ron and Hermione have been guilty of acting like I was a celebrity, but you never have, and I can't tell you how grateful I am for that. Like I said before, your gift is the best one I've ever received, and you can be sure that wherever I am, I'll be looking into it. We'll have a nice, long chat when I get back, and maybe I'll have a few questions about them. Or about you, for that matter._

_Speaking of you, I wanted to make sure that you were okay while I was gone, because I know that this will be hard so soon after Sirius's death. Merlin, it still hurts! I can't imagine what it must be like for you. I want you to spend as much time with the Weasleys as you can, because there is no way I'll let you get lonely. I've recruited all of them to make sure you aren't left alone, especially Ginny. She'll need someone to talk to, since I know that as much as her brothers love her, she's still the youngest and only girl in that family and it gets really lonesome. We'll make up for lost time when I get back. I promise. Also, I've left some money for you in your vault at Gringotts. There is no way for you to return it to me, and I can honestly say that I'll hardly even notice it's missing. As I'm sure you know, I'm not lacking in that department. I want you to get yourself a new set of robes, some new books, and whatever else you've ever wanted. I've already donated money to the lycanthropy research lab, so don't bother with that. I really hope they'll find a cure sometime. Preferably soon. _

_If I can, I'll send you a long letter from wherever I'm at. I've discovered a way that will make it impossible for you to figure out where I am, but I can still correspond occasionally. Unfortunately, letters will be limited, and I won't be able to tell you too much without giving away my location, but I will try. _

_Don't worry about me. I'll be just fine. I'm going to a place where I can be happy, free, and live my life as just Harry. Not Harry Potter, The Boy Who Lived, but plain Harry, son of James and Lily Potter with an abnormal obsession with Defense Against Dark Arts and youngest Seeker in a century. Thanks for everything you've done for me. I hope to write soon._

_Love,_

_Harry_

Harry signed the letter with a trembling hand, fighting back the fiery tears. That was the first time he had ever written 'love' at the end of a letter, and very possibly one of the last. Remus deserved it though. Remus had never seen him as The Boy Who Lived, or even as his father's son, or his mother's son, or even a student. He had seen him for who he truly was: Harry James Potter, and accepted that. He had been so constant, so reassuring, so kind, and so helpful all the time. Harry couldn't imagine living in America without him, especially now that Sirius was gone. Remus was the last tie Harry had to his parents, and Harry was going to make sure he would stay that way. He would send a letter to Remus along with Ginny's letter. Maybe he would even send one to the Weasleys.

It was the longest letter he had written. The other letters were shorter, less exhaustive, and much less emotional. He thanked everyone, explained his reasons for going away, assured them that he would be back, good as new, and that he would be safe and happy wherever he was. He left the running of the DA in the hands of Ron, Hermione, and Ginny. Hermione to do the research, Ron to do the organizing, and Ginny to do the actual teaching. He explained this to all the DA members, and insisted that they show them the same respect they showed him. He told the Weasley twins that he would be sure to advertise their shop wherever he was and use the pranks to his best advantage. He told them to just use all the money he 'earned' from the shop in starting up businesses in the Americas, China, Africa, and Australia. He thanked Mr. and Mrs. Weasley whole-heartedly for making him a part of their family, informed them of the money in their account, and proceeded to ensure them of his well-being and gratefulness. He told Hagrid to be careful with Grawp and give him his regards, and also thanked him for being so understanding the last part of the school year, apologizing for being so rude at times. He even wrote a letter to Dumbledore, explaining everything he could and assuring him that he could take care of himself, he would be back to defeat Voldemort after he had lived his own life, and pleading for him not to look for him. After a lecture, of course. He also included a quick letter for the Minister that he could release to the press if he chose, since he predicted his disappearance would create quite a disturbance among the wizarding population.

With all the letters written, Harry laid them out on his desk and packed all of his gifts into his already packed trunk, taking particular care with the pensieve. Later that night, Uncle Vernon snuck into his room silently, nodded to Harry, and heaved his trunk out to the car while the Order wouldn't notice. Tomorrow, Harry would be gone, and no one was going to stop him.

The next morning, Harry and the Dursleys rose before sunrise, much to Dudley's unhappiness, and loaded into the car while the Order wouldn't be able to see the extra, thin shadow of Harry hiding behind his large cousin.

The drive to the airport was tense and silent for the most part, Aunt Petunia occasionally shooting looks back at him to make sure he was lying low on the seat and Uncle Vernon grumbling the off-hand complaint about traffic. Dudley was scowling at nobody in particular, cracking his knuckles habitually.

Uncle Vernon loaded his trunk onto a trolley and helped him get past security and all the other details. Once Harry was settled in the waiting area, armed with only a good deal of Muggle and wizarding money, a few letters for direction, and one of the Muggle books Ginny had sent him, as well as the copy of _Witch Weekly _and his Chocolate Frog card, just to amuse himself, Uncle Vernon grunted a good-bye and left him.

As ten o'clock approached, the announcement for the flight to New York came over the intercom. Harry approached the woman at the desk, went through all the procedures, and soon enough found himself with his own window seat, no one beside him, for the long flight to New York. The flight attendants showed all the safety procedures, announced the movie show times and what to do if you needed anything, and then proceeded to order all seat belts fastened.

Harry buckled the seat belt, trying to control his excitement. He was really going. He was really going to New York, to America! The plane traveled down the runway, and Harry gripped the edges of his seat. A broomstick would be so much better. Not as comfortable a seat, but much more comforting. At least he had control of his broomstick. He had no control over the airplane.

The plane took off smoothly, and Harry relaxed in his chair. This was it. Time to relax and enjoy the view before he arrived in the Big Apple. He could hardly wait.

* * *

Harry looked out his window at the fast approaching shoreline, his heart beating excitedly in his chest, constricting his breathing. The flight attendant pointed out the Empire State Building and the Twin Towers, and Harry caught his breath. He was used to old, medieval-style castles with towers and turrets, flagged stone floors and large fireplaces. This was going to be a very large change. 

"Excited, sir?" a flight attendant questioned him with a knowing smile, coming to collect his breakfast tray and blanket.

"Er- yeah. Yeah, I am," he replied, caught off guard but recovering quickly.

"Are you an exchange student then? Most people don't vacation this close to the start of the school year."

"Yes, exchange student."

"Have a good time."

"Thanks. I will."

The flight attendant moved away to attend to another passenger, and Harry returned his eyes to the city. It was enormous! It was like London in America, only … different somehow. So much more exciting.

The plan came down for landing, sending Harry's stomach into a whirlwind. They bounced down on the runway, and Harry's stomach settled as they slowed to a halt. The flight attendant told them to unfasten their seatbelts, and Harry stood, stretching his legs. His frame, which had taken on a growth spurt over the past few months, was not happy with the cramped seating. He ran his hands through his messy hair with no interest, checking to make sure his money pouch was still in the pocket of his denim jacket. Satisfied that his money was with him, Harry looked in his bag next. Books, magazine, card, letters. Now he just had to retrieve his trunk from the baggage claim. Everyone had looked at him oddly when he turned it in. Apparently, no one used trunks anymore.

He made his way to the baggage claim, following the steady stream of passengers. He stood by and waited. His trunk finally came down, and he grabbed hold of it. He dragged it off, getting himself quite a few odd glances, and looked around for a trolley. One of the workers rushed forward with one, seeing his predicament, and helped him load it onto a trolley, asking where he needed to go.

"Central Park," he said. The worker raised an eyebrow but said nothing. "Er- could I buy this, or something? I'll rather need it, but …"

"Of course. Five dollars, sir."

Harry took out his money pouch (ignoring the curious, odd look the worker gave him) and counted five dollars out of the Muggle American money. He still didn't understand why Muggles had different monies in different countries. Wizards did fine on galleons everywhere, but Muggles just had to make things complicated.

The worker took the money and released the trolley to Harry, who thanked him and departed the airport. The sun was bright in the sky, and the sky was as blue as Ravenclaw's banner. Harry sighed. Hogwarts was going to haunt him wherever he went. Harry hailed a cab, following the example of the thousands of other people.

Soon Harry found himself in Central Park. It was a beautiful thing, but Harry wasn't too interested in looking around. He just wanted to get to Central Park Avenue. He nodded to the hot dog vendor, who smiled knowingly, and made his way towards the center of the park.

It took a little bit, but Harry finally found the tree with the owl carved into it. He smiled, looked around to make sure there were no Muggles watching him, and pressed his thumb against the owl, stepping forward into the tree with his trunk in tow. Harry found himself in a bustling street crowded with witches and wizards of all sorts. Harry flattened his hair over his scar, ducking his head. It was amazing!

Similar to Diagon Alley, shops lined every side of the street, and pedestrians were hustling in and out, laughing and chatting, greeting friends, pointing out new objects in the windows. In the center of the wide street was a large garden with stone fountains and shady trees. The street was flagged as well, and the buildings were all brick. He saw Adam's Apple Apothecary, Da Vinci's Robes, Sports Shoppe, Quick Thinking ("Everything you need to keep your thinking quick!"), Bonkers Joke Jamboree, Muggle Merchandise, and even Smooth'N'Sweet Sugary Soda Snack Bar. There was everything he could possibly imagine and more; like Diagon Alley with different titles and a lot of different accents.

Harry quickly spotted The Double-U Inn and made his way towards it, apologizing as his trolley rolled over feet and snagged robes. He finally pushed open the door and let himself into the dimly lit room. Lanterns hung on the walls to give off light, and a chandelier hung above the large gathering area. A bar stood along one wall, and the rest of the room was like a lounge. Rough wooden tables stood in corners, at which wizards with dark cloaks conversed quietly, but the rest of the room was filled with jolly, talkative wizards and witches, stopping by for a quick drink or snack.

Harry approached the counter, and a large man with a pot-belly and a golden-toothed grin approached him.

"What'll it be, kiddo?"

"Er- Do you have any board?"

"Well, this is an inn, ain't it?" the man chuckled at Harry's awkwardness, slinging the bar rag over his shoulder. "How long're you lookin' at staying, Brit?"

"Until August twentieth."

"McKinley's then? Good school, that," he commented with a toothy grin. He named a price, which Harry quickly paid, much to the man's surprise. "Well, well, then. Rich kid, eh?" He went back behind the counter and pulled a ring off a rack, holding it out to Harry. "Room 26, kiddo. See you around."

"Thanks," Harry thanked him, taking the key and grabbing his trolley. He towed it to the stairs, folded up the trolley, and dragged the trunk the rest the way up the stairs. At the landing, he unfolded the trolley again, reloaded his trunk, and went down the line of doors. 20 … 21 … 22 … 23 … 24 … 25 … 26! Harry unlocked the door and let himself in.

Despite the rowdy ways of the downstairs, the room was very peaceful and tidy. The bed was made with clean white sheets, a lantern was lit by the door, and a large window let the midday sun into the room, dancing patterns across the hardwood floor. It was plain, but presentable. Harry settled his trunk by the dresser, debating whether to unpack or not. Deciding it could wait, Harry opened his trunk and pulled out his Gringotts key. He dropped everything he had carried on the place with him on the bed and sorted through it. He would need the supply list (he slid it into the back pocket of his jeans), and he would need the key (he slid that into his jacket pocket), but that should be it.

Harry left the room, locking the door behind himself and slipping the key into his pocket beside the Gringotts key. He made his way down the stairs, observing the people that came and went. He left the inn and stepped back into the sunny streets of Central Park Avenue. He looked up and down the street, and he finally spotted a tall, sturdy building at the end of the street. The sign read Gringotts, so that was where he had to go.

He started in that direction, walking slowly to take everything in. He saw some people his age and figured they would be at McKinley's with him. It was odd, to Harry, to see students his age and younger shopping the way he, Ron, and Hermione would have been in Diagon Alley. A pang of homesickness tugged at his heartstrings for a moment, but Harry quickly pushed it out of his mind. It was his first day in America; he was going to enjoy. There was no way he was going to get homesick already! There was a giggling group of girls outside of Smooth'N'Sweet Sugary Soda Snack Bar, one exclaiming, "I swear it on Harry Potter! He promised he'd meet me at Five-SB today!" Harry blushed and hurried on, praying to Merlin that they wouldn't recognize the back of his head, and noticed some younger year boys in front of the Sports Shoppe.

"Seriously? I didn't know that. Where'd you find that?"

"My mum was talking about it. One of her magazines. They named him the hottest hero in the world or something. Stupid, really, but the list of his accomplishments … Whew! Youngest Seeker in a century! And did you hear about that battle he was in at their government building or whatever?"

"Oh, yeah, my sister couldn't get over how _brave_ and _daring_ and _absolutely adorable_ it was." The boy snorted. "Sweet Merlin, it's like the guy's cast a spell on all the girls in the world to make them fall in love with him. _Harrificus Potternus Totalus_!"

"I dunno. He seems like an okay guy to me. I mean, he's had a pretty bad time of it, hasn't he? Probably a lot more than the papers and magazines said. Maybe he actually deserves it."

"Well, if he's the youngest Seeker in a century…!"

"Seriously! Do you think he would give us some advice if we wrote to him?"

"I dunno, maybe. He doesn't seem too keen on fan mail, from what my mum said anyways. She kept going on about how his life is so unfair, and he doesn't really want all the attention and all that."

"I'd take some of it for him!" The boys all laughed and continued in their discussion on Seekers, and Harry sped up his pace a bit more, face flushed. He had no idea he was so famous in the US! Had there been a story about him recently that he didn't know of? Besides the "hottest hero in the world" of course. He'd seen that in _Witch Weekly_. Maybe he could burn that in his room at the inn. Yep. Definitely. After he read it, of course. He hadn't gotten around to it on the plane. Now, after listening to the boys' conversation, he was more interested. It listed his accomplishments? What exactly did they mean by that?

Harry let himself into Gringotts, not surprised that it was incredibly similar to the one in Diagon Alley. He approached one of the tellers and presented his key. The goblin nodded without speaking, and soon Harry was on a cart and on his way to his vault.

The goblin opened his vault for him, and Harry was somewhat surprised by the amount of gold in the vault. He had asked for enough money for his tuition and extra costs to be transferred to his American vault, but he hadn't expected this much.

Harry studied the piles. There seemed to be about twenty galleons per stack, so he would need thirty-five stacks. Harry nearly laughed out loud. He would have plenty for this year's tuition and next year's, not to mention he would be able to throw a few extravagant parties in between. Harry emptied a good amount of gold, silver, and bronze into his money pouch and left Gringotts to do his shopping.

He pulled out his school supply list and headed towards Quick Thinking. In the window display were old, tattered books alongside newer books on everything from prophesies to pranks to poetry. There was also a magnificent set of quills and some personalized parchment on display. Harry managed to enter the store unnoticed and made his way to the aisle labeled "school supplies." He scanned the titles of the books, looking at the list and then back up at the shelves again.

_Defensive Drills for Dummies_, _Defending Yourself Against Dark Forces_, _Muggle Maneuvers to Defend Yourself_, _How to Defend Yourself Without a Wand_, finally! _Physical Defensive Drills, Maneuvers, and Training_ by Billy Joe Knowles. His text for Defense, his first new class. He slid the book off the shelf. What next? His Advanced Defensive Magic text, _Protecting Yourself With Magic_ by Jean Grimshaw was easily found, not far from his Defense book. He also found his texts for Advanced Transformulation, Advanced Potions, Advanced Divination, and Advanced Magical Creatures. His Astronomy text was also fairly easy to find, but he had some difficulty with his Advanced Charms text. He skimmed the titles, biting the inside of his cheek frustratedly. _Charming Your Opponent_, _Charms for Children_, _How to Charm His Socks Off_, _Charming Charms_. No where could he find _Difficult Charms and How to Use Them _by L. M. Evans. He groaned frustratedly. He had scanned that shelf ten times already, the one below it eight times, and the one above it nine times. He couldn't find the textbook anywhere! He had even looked in the other aisles, but the book was no where to be found.

"Looking for something?" asked a curious voice behind him. Harry spun around, running his hands through his hair and then quickly flattening his bangs over his scar when he realized what he was doing.

"Er- Yeah, actually, I am," he admitted, pulling his hand back down and stuffing it in his pocket. A tall boy with long red hair and green eyes to rival Harry's stood behind him, and behind the boy stood a man who seemed to be the model of the boy. It was like seeing double; the boy looked like a carbon copy of his father. Surprisingly, it brought to Harry's mind a mix of the Weasleys and his mother as he had seen her in Snape's pensieve.

"Need any help?"

"I would say so, yes," confessed Harry, a little embarrassed. "I can't find _Difficult Charms and How to Use Them_ by L. M. Evans."

The boy examined the shelves carefully, shook his head, and then lost himself in thought for a moment. "I'll be right back," he said, dashing out of the aisle in the direction of the counter with the speed of a Seeker and disappearing.

"Sean Lane," the man introduced himself, extending his hand. "Founder and owner of this shop."

"Pleased to meet you, sir," Harry replied, taking the man's hand firmly. "I'm Harry."

"British accent? Are you just visiting then?"

"Er- exchange student, actually," Harry corrected him mildly.

"Really? McKinley's House of Magic?"

"Yes, sir."

"What grade?"

"Er- eleventh, I think," said Harry, pulling the letter of acceptance from his pocket and scanning it quickly. "Yeah, eleventh."

"You'll be with Ryan, then, my son. Excited?"

"Very."

"What school did you attend before?"

"Hogwarts. Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry in, er, Northern Ireland, I believe."

"Really? I've heard it's a very prestigious school. What, with Albus Dumbledore and Harry Potter, it's probably the most famous school in the world."

"Er- yeah, I guess."

"Why did you want to come here?"

"Eh- personal reasons, really. Had to do it for myself. I just felt … too confined there."

"There? I heard it's a large castle. Not to mention extensive grounds and a Quidditch pitch."

"Well, yeah, that's true. It's very large, actually. Kept getting lost my first few days. It doesn't help that everything always changes."

"Changes?"

"Yeah." Harry quickly explained about the moving staircases, the walking suits of armor, the vanishing doors, entrances hidden behind tapestries and portraits, Peeves, the ghosts, and all the other physical aspects about Hogwarts. Mr. Lane was fascinated by the ceiling and the library, and he just couldn't stop asking questions. After a while of chatting, the boy, whom Harry assumed to be Ryan, came back with a book in hand.

"Sorry 'bout that," he apologized breathlessly, grinning at him. "Still packed. New order and all."

"Thanks," Harry thanked him, a little embarrassed, and added the leather-bound book to his other texts.

"You'll be at McKinley then?" Ryan quired curiously. "I haven't seen you before."

"Yeah. Exchange student."

"Really? We haven't had one in ages! What grade are you in?"

"Eleventh."

"Cool! So am I. You'll love it. Oh, yeah, I'm Ryan, by the way."

"Harry."

"Good to meet you."

"Ryan, you aren't finished yet," Mr. Lane reminded his son, tapping his watch.

Ryan rolled his eyes. "All right." He turned to Harry to explain, "Dad's teaching me how to run the shop so I can take over. Family business, you know. Where're you staying?"

"The Double-U Inn," answered Harry.

"Great. That means I'll see you later. Bye!" Ryan grinned and waved as he approached another customer who was examining two different books and looking confused. Mr. Lane smiled, shook hands with Harry, and followed his son, watching over his shoulder as he assisted the witch.

Harry was incredibly grateful that they hadn't asked for his last name. That would have been a very difficult situation, to say the least. He approached the counter and paid for his books, adding a set of quills and some more parchment to his bill. He thanked the clerk and took the bag before heading back outside, waving to the Lanes on his way out of the shop. He was suddenly incredibly grateful that Ginny had thought to buy him contacts. Harry was certain that he would have been recognized immediately for who he was if he had been wearing the glasses.

Harry already had new robes, so there was no need to stop by Da Vinci's. Adam's Apothecary would be useless, since he already had all the potions ingredients he would need. Bonkers Joke Jamboree would probably be worth a stop, though, as would the Sports Shoppe and the "Five-SB". But Harry decided that it wouldn't be exactly fun to drag around his books all day, so he stopped by the inn to drop them in his room before he went pleasure shopping.

First Harry stopped by Bonkers Joke Jamboree, which was closest. They had some pretty great stuff, but nothing to rival Weasleys' Wizarding Wheezes. He left the shop with a few minor pranks in his pocket and his money pouch a few coins lighter, but it wasn't really so interesting to him. Harry then visited the Sports Shoppe and was instantly stunned. Of course, there was Quidditch gear, but he had rarely seen some of the other things. His eyes grew round as he looked around. There was everything from hula-hoops and ribbons to basketballs and swimming trunks. There were footballs (soccer balls) and tap shoes, cleats and hurdles, gloves and caps, uniforms and even books on "how to dance like Shirley Temple" and "everything you'll ever need to know about soccer." Harry spent his time looking around, trying to decide if he wanted to do anything. Track was a possibility, but those shorts were really short. Basketball or soccer seemed much more interesting. He could use gymnastics- sometimes Seekers had to be flexible- but those uniforms were slightly disturbing. Dance, though it might become useful someday and looked interesting, didn't exactly appeal to him. He didn't have to make any decisions right away, though, thank goodness.

He saw the cluster of boys that he had seen earlier and did his best to steer away from them, still rather embarrassed about overhearing their conversation. Alas, his best was not enough. The boys ran into him while he was looking through a book about basketball, nearly knocking him into the shelf. They apologized quickly, but paused when they heard his accent.

"Are you British?"

"Yes."

"D'you go to Hogwarts?"

"I used to."

"Did you know Harry Potter?"

"Er- yeah."

"Is he really the youngest Seeker in a century?"

"Yes."

"He's a Gryffindor, right?"

"Yeah."

"What were you?"

"Gryffindor."

"Cool! Were you in his dorm?"

"Mm-hmm."

"Can he really make a Patronus?"

"Yes."

"What's the form again?"

"A stag."

"He started an illegal defense group, didn't he? Potomac Army or something?"

"Dumbledore's Army, otherwise known as the Defense Association, but yes."

"Were you a part of it?"

"Yeah."

"He won the TriWizard Tournament last year, didn't he?"

"Yes."

"So he really faced a dragon?"

"Mm-hmm."

"And saw that Dark Lord guy rise from the dead?"

"Yep."

"And was that other guy really killed right next to him?"

"Cedric Diggory? Yeah."

"And he was dating his best friend, Himonee or something?"

"Hermione? No, that was just a rumor."

"What about that battle at that government building?"

"At the Ministry of Magic? What about it?"

"What happened?" "Yeah, who was he with?"

"Ron Weasley, Hermione Granger, Ginny Weasley, Neville Longbottom, and Luna Lovegood."

"My sister's been dying to know this one: is he dating anyone?"

"Er- no. Only girlfriend was Cho Chang. Broke up when her friend betrayed the DA and she stood up for her."

"Ouch. That had to hurt. Did he pass his exams after that?"

"After what?"

"The battle!"

"The O.W.L.s were before the battle. It all started during the last exam."

"What happened?"

"Didn't you read about it in the paper?"

"Well…"

"Sort of…"

"Yeah, but…"

"Look, guys, I can answer all your questions at school, all right? I'll talk to Headmaster Keatley about arranging some sort of questioning thing and I'll answer whatever questions you throw at me. Ok?"

"Ok, but … what grade are you in?"

"Eleventh."

"At McKinley's?"

"Yeah."

"Cool. You'll be in my sister's grade! She's totally obsessed with Harry Potter."

"Hmm."

Harry scrambled away from them as fast as he could, abandoning the book on basketball without a second thought. He could come back later. Those boys were really scary. Once outside, he took a deep breath. He didn't think he would ever get used to that. Hopefully he could arrange a questioning session with the Headmaster and everything would be finished at that. Hopefully.

Harry shook himself and headed for Smooth'N'Sweet Sugary Soda Snack Bar, otherwise know as "Five-SB" by those girls, and was relieved that they weren't there anymore. He entered the small, blue-and-white striped bar (which he thought looked really cheesy) and sat down on one of the bar stools, staring up at the menu. When the waitress approached him, blonde hair piled atop her head and bubble gum chomping loudly in her mouth, Harry ordered a Smooth Strawberry Soda with Super Sweet Sprinkles and a Shaken-Up Shortcake. Before long the pink drink and small cake were in front of him.

Despite the absurdity of the place, Harry quickly realized why they were so popular. The food and drink were delicious! It was like Muggle food with a magical twist, and Harry quickly decided to come here as much as he could. Mrs. Weasley would be proud. He would be "fattened up" in no time at this rate.

The bell above the door jingled merrily as each customer entered or left, and the place was filled with a constant chatter. Just listening to other people's conversations was enough to give Harry good entertainment, so he was almost sorry to leave after he finished. He paid the waitress, left a tip, and went back to the inn. The sun was setting, and he wanted to get settled in before dark. He couldn't wait to write Ginny about this. This was going to be a wonderful way to end his summer.

* * *

The last days of Harry's summer holidays passed by quickly and wonderfully. Harry found a close friend in Ryan Lane, who was a lot like all his friends rolled into one, but he was his own person. Harry finally confessed to being Harry Potter, but Ryan, being Ryan, swore up and down that he wouldn't tell anybody without permission- not even his father, who, as Harry found out, was very close to him. Harry helped out around the Lane's shop some, and the boys would spend evenings at Five-SB or exploring the other shops. Ryan convinced Harry to join the basketball team with him and filled him in on everything he would need to know. The Lane's shop had a small courtyard in the back with a basketball hoop set up, where Mr. Lane had taught Ryan how to play, and where Ryan now taught Harry everything he knew on the sport. Sometimes Mr. Lane would join them, giving some helpful pointers and critiquing their skill. Mrs. Lane would bring out drinks and snacks for the boys, complimenting their work. She was a warm, friendly mother with blonde hair that was always swept up in a loose bun and kind blue eyes that sparkled with love. To Harry, this was one of the best families he had ever met. The Lanes had a younger daughter, too, and Ryan was very protective of her. Rachel was built with a small frame, and though she was fourteen and in ninth grade, she looked more like a seventh grader. She had the same blonde hair as her mother, but she had her father's and brother's green eyes. Ryan insisted that she was the best gymnast in all of America with a pride only a brother can have, and he always made her blush. She became like another sister to Harry, helping her mother bring out trays of delicious delights and organizing picnics for all of them in Central Park. Harry was introduced to some of Ryan's school friends, Tim Lucas and Nathan O'Neill, who stopped by the shop a few times to visit with their parents. Harry almost wished that the summer would never end. It had turned out to be the best summer of his life. 

When the twentieth of August rolled around, Ryan and Rachel helped Harry pack up all his things in the inn and make sure he had all of his new stuff, including his basketball equipment that had been readily broken in over the past few days. Harry returned the key to room 26 to the barkeeper, Mason, and hauled his trunk over to the large fireplace. He took some Floo Powder from the mantle, said a quick "see you later" to his new friends, and stepped into the fire. He threw down the powder and cried out: "Lincoln Hall, McKinley's House of Magic!"

Holding his trunk tightly, Harry's world spun out of control for a while before he stumbled ungracefully out of the fire into a large, elegant hall with tall, stained-glass windows, glass chandeliers, marble floors, imposing statues of Greek figures, porcelain figure-heads and vases filled with pure white and pink roses, tall columns, and a very open space in the center of the circular hall. There was already a small cluster of younger students gathered in the center around a tall woman who looked very polished and sophisticated, but Harry noticed that she could still smile. Harry pulled his trunk out of the fire and then realized that every eye was on him.

"Er- good afternoon," he greeted them awkwardly, shifting his feet and hesitating a smile at them. The tall woman came forward to greet him with a smile.

"You must be Harry," she smiled warmly. "Welcome to McKinley's House of Magic. You had no trouble?"

"None at all, ma'am."

"That's fine." She drew out the 'i' in 'fine', making it sound very posh but still kind. "I'm Ms. Davis, the Overseer."

"Pleasure, Professor."

Ms. Davis looked flustered for a moment before she gathered herself. "My, my, you are quite the well-mannered one, aren't you? Do you have everything? Texts, tuition, classes…?"

"Yes, ma'am. Would you like the tuition now?"

"Oh, no, no, no. After dinner we'll meet to arrange everything. Why don't you join our new seventh graders while we wait for the rest? I was just talking to them about our extra-curricular activities."

Harry joined the younger students, feeling slightly out of place, leaving his trunk by the wall at Ms. Davis's insistence. Finally, at half past four, Ms. Davis called roll to make sure all the students were there. The seventh graders went into a frenzy when they heard Harry's name called, but a stern look from Ms. Davis settled them down immediately. After, Ms. Davis gave a formal introduction to McKinley's House of Magic, most of which Harry had learned from the letter she had sent him, and proceeded to give them a tour of the House.

Out of one of the large, white double-doors that led off Lincoln Hall was the Dining Room. The floor was marbled, and tall columns were along the walls as they were in Lincoln Hall. The ceiling was painted with elegant cherubs that darted playfully behind the painted clouds, giggling with each other in a pure, innocent way. The enormous room was occupied with two extraordinarily long tables with blood red table clothes, set with silver dishes, and candles hovered above the table, similar to Hogwarts. Hundreds of mahogany chairs were placed along the tables in orderly lines, and every so often there came a chair larger than the others, which Ms. Davis explained were for the teachers. In the front of the room was a table for three, which was for the Headmaster, Overseer (Ms. Davis), and Second Overseer. Ms. Davis explained that normally there would be round tables, but for the first dinner the Headmaster preferred the straight ones. Tall, full-body portraits graced the walls between the columns, showing off former presidents of the United States, with President McKinley's in the front behind the Headmaster's table. There was a door behind a portrait of President Taft that led to the kitchens, where house-elves in clean, crisp uniforms were scurrying around in preparation.

Another door off of Lincoln Hall led to the swimming pool. It was Olympic sized, and a large set of bleachers stood against the right wall. Showers, restrooms, changing rooms, and lockers were through doors on the far end of the room, in which were white, fluffy towels, McKinley's House of Magic swimming attire/gear, and lockers for every student. Wouldn't you know it, the showers and toilets were inside the lockers, so that everyone had their own personalized bathrooms. In a display case on the left wall were large trophies, cups, plaques, and ribbons portraying all sorts of swimming competitions and awards.

A third door off Lincoln Hall led to a flagged stone hallway, large contrast, with classrooms coming off all sides. Ms. Davis pointed out all the classrooms, taking care to acknowledge that these were the seventh grade classrooms only. The fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh, and eighth doors led to similar hallways for the other grades, and at the end of each hall was a small library with texts pertaining to each grade's curriculum.

The tenth door opened into a large gymnasium. Actually, it was more like two gymnasiums in one. On one side there was a basketball court, complete with benches and bleachers. There were locker rooms for girls and boys respectively on the far side. It was the same on the opposite side, only instead of a basketball court, it was set for indoor soccer. A door on the soccer side of the gym led to a weight room, and a door on the basketball side of the gym led to the gymnastics and cheerleading room.

Once back in Lincoln Hall, Ms. Davis led the group up a sweeping marble staircase to the dormitories. The second floor, just above the main rooms, was mostly a large room with a big fireplace, comfortable sofas, study tables, window seats, and a good deal of games. There was even a Muggle foosball table, table tennis (ping-pong table), and other assortments of Muggle entertainment from puzzles and magazines to board games and billiards. There was a door on each side of the room, one leading to the girls' dormitories and the other to the boys'. Each dormitory was shared by two people and had their own bathroom. This second floor was for seventh and eighth graders. The other floors were almost exactly alike, only the third was for ninth and tenth graders, and the fourth was for eleventh and twelfth graders.

When Ms. Davis finally led them back down to Lincoln Hall, it was nearing five o'clock and students were already arriving. Trunks were being lined up along the wall next to Harry's, and students were greeting each other after the long summer holidays. Ms. Davis dismissed them, and Harry immediately found Ryan and Rachel.

"Have fun on your tour?" teased Ryan with a lopsided grin only he could pull off.

"Yes, actually," Harry admitted, shrugging his shoulders. "This place is really … extravagant."

"_Extravagant_?" Ryan raised an eyebrow artfully. "Well, that's not the word I'd use, but yeah, I guess. Not like Hogwarts then?"

"The only thing I saw the least bit alike was … the floor in the classroom corridors, the fireplaces, the kitchen behind a painting, and floating candles."

"Really? Well, that's fairly cool. Hey, there's Tim!" Ryan waved his friends over. Rachel wrinkled her nose a bit.

"Hey, Ry, I'm going to find my friends. I'll see you later."

"See you. Hey, Tim, Nathan!" The boys greeted each other with a round of hand slapping. Tim, a shorter boy with lots of curly brown hair and puppy-dog face, was outfitted in an outlandish set of cobalt blue robes with hot pink lining and trim, while Nathan, being somewhat less absurd, was wearing charcoal grey robes over his jeans and black T-shirt, making his long blonde hair and studious brown eyes seem more sophisticated than ever. Ryan was just starting to ask where Tim had bought his robes (because Da Vinci's definitely did _not_ make them like that) when a group of the same giggly girls Harry had seen outside of Five-SB approached. Harry shifted nervously, and Ryan grinned wickedly. Harry had told him about overhearing the conversation he had heard and couldn't stop teasing him about them. Whenever they were joking around and Harry would ask him if he was telling the truth, Ryan would say, "I swear it on Harry Potter!" He always got a deserving slap upside the head, but he took it good-naturedly.

"Have a good summer?" the leader of the girls questioned, twirling a piece of her curly brown hair around a finger idly.

"Yeah," answered Ryan immediately, grinning mischievously. "Have you met the new exchange student? Harry, this is Irene Mitchell. Irene, this is Harry Potter."

Jaws sank to the floor at this pronouncement, and immediately Harry was mobbed by the girls, clinging to whatever bit of him they could find. Harry's eyes widened at the contact and he tried to shake them, looking alarmed. He turned helpless eyes to his friends, but they were laughing too hard to be able to do anything. In the end, it was Rachel who came to his rescue, giving her brother a hard slap on the shoulder for not doing anything. She calmly pried each of the girls' hands off of Harry and pushed them back as gently as she could while still being effective.

"Thanks," Harry panted gratefully. She nodded and turned back to the girls.

"He is a person, you know," she pointed out point blank, glaring at them disgustedly. "What if he was claustrophobic? Idiots," she breathed under her breath, then turning on her brother with a hard glare. "That was _so_ not nice."

She pinched her brother's arm one last time and then returned to her friends quite calmly, as though she had just taken a sip of water. Harry finally caught his breath as Ryan, Nathan, and Tim moved to his side in the manner of bodyguards, blocking the girls from further attempts to smother him.

"I'm never going to get used to this," Harry moaned. Ryan chuckled.

"You mean you weren't this famous in Britain?"

"Well, yeah, I was, but people didn't … Well, I generally didn't hear my name in the streets or get mobbed anyway. Normally people just stared."

Ryan shook his head amusedly as he pushed the girls back. "Sounds fun."

"Oh. Yeah. Ruddy brilliant."

Ryan laughed amusedly.

Thankfully, they were saved from further mauling as Ms. Davis called the large group of students, which successfully crowded the enormous hall, into order, opening the doors and allowing them to flow into the Dining Room.

Ryan took his right, Nathan his left, and Tim his right as they entered the room, but that left his back open for target. Much to his relief, Rachel came up behind him to block him from the other girls, giving him an encouraging squeeze on the shoulder. He relaxed a bit, knowing that she had his back, and gladly took a seat between the two siblings who had become like his own. The wooden chairs were surprisingly comfortable. He was introduced to Rachel's best friend, Julia Schemmel, who was on Rachel's other side. She was almost exactly like Rachel, only Julia had bobbed brown hair and midnight blue eyes as opposed to Rachel's long blonde hair and emerald eyes. She was slightly louder than Rachel, but they were both very kind and thoughtful, which Harry noticed immediately. Both of them avoided questioning him, and instead kept to casual talking of upcoming classes and summer adventures.

As soon as everyone was settled, Ms. Davis rose at the Head Table and called for their attention. The room fell silently immediately, faster than Hogwarts ever had, and all eyes turned to the Overseer. Also at the Head Table was a tall, structured man in stately black robes and graying dark hair, watching the students with hawk-like eyes and a studious gaze.

"Welcome back to McKinley's House of Magic!" she greeted them with a smile. "It's good to see you back and well. Dr. Keatley is unable to join us tonight due to an emergency session that was called in the United Kingdom by Professor Dumbledore. I'm sure you have all heard of him. For those of you who haven't, he's a great wizard and the headmaster of the very prestigious wizarding school in Northern Ireland, Hogwarts.

"Speaking of Hogwarts, I am pleased to welcome an exchange student from that school, Harry Potter. Harry, if you would please stand?"

Harry stood reluctantly with a flushed face as the room burst into applause, cheering, and chatter. Harry quickly took his seat again, receiving a teasing shove from Ryan and amused smile from Rachel.

"Unfortunately, there are a few unique circumstances. Due to the necessity of Harry's privacy, nonentity, and safety, the knowledge that he is here must be kept quiet. No one is permitted to speak of him to their families, and when you refer to the 'new student,' please refer to him as Harry Patterson. Also, please do not question him about his experiences. He deserves to be treated as a normal student for once in his life, and I hope you will all treat him accordingly. He is here to learn, just as you are, and take a break from the stress of his life in the United Kingdom.

"Moving on, all try-outs and practice times will be posted on bulletin boards on your floors, as well as a list of banned items. I hope you will take part in the events enthusiastically and support your classmates. Class trips will be arranged later this year.

"I would also like to address the growing issue of the dark Lord Voldemort in Europe. Please to not be misled to believe that this is Europe's issue alone. As I'm sure Harry can testify, even our country will eventually be affected by this man's tyranny. He has a blood-thirst for purity of blood, wishing to be rid of all with Muggle blood or whoever supports Muggles. I don't feel that I need to impress the severity of his actions upon you. If he succeeds, our entire wizarding world will be wiped from existence. Possibly even the Muggle existence. He has power, strength, and our only hope of defeating him is by joining with the rest of the world and attempting to uproot him and his evil plots.

"On a happier note, I would like to once again congratulate our swim team for winning the annual swim competition versus Haven Academy from Arizona, Maple Leaf Boarding from Montreal, and Tecuala School from Nayarit, Mexico."

A round of cheering and applause echoed throughout the chamber in response. Apparently, McKinley's swim team was very good and had a lot of support. Ms. Davis raised a hand and they quieted.

"Also, congratulations to our basketball team in their victory over these same three schools. It is good to see that trophy on display."

The cheers erupted once more. The basketball team members, including Ryan and Nathan, were slapped on the back and applauded enthusiastically by the student body. Ms. Davis let them go on for a minute before continuing.

"We hope to see many more trophies take their places beside these. That is all the announcements for now. Please be sure to check your floor bulletin board before bed and in the morning for further announcements. Enjoy the feast."

That said, Ms. Davis took her seat and tapped her wand to her glass. Instantly, the empty silver pitchers that had been sitting uselessly in the center of the tables were filled with liquids, and with a second tap to her plate, the unfilled dishes were also overflowing with food and delicacies. The students broke into babble as they tucked in, but Harry was very satisfied to just eat and listen to all the others' conversations. Ryan and Nathan were discussing the basketball team's prospects over Tim's shorter, curly head, while Tim himself was involved in a conversation a blonde girl on the other side of the table about the swim team. To his right, Rachel and Julia were chatting about the musicals they would be doing that year with their other friends who were seated across the table. Harry could overhear conversations from the second table as well, discussing sports teams, classes, summers, clothes, Voldemort, friends, clubs, teachers, and everything else under the sun. Actually, not really under the sun- a group of boys and girls behind him were currently in a debate about whether life existed outside of the galaxy. Harry was slightly put off by the fact that they spoke freely and eagerly about Voldemort. They said his name with no fear, spoke of the last war casually, compared death rates with other wizarding and Muggle wars, and debated how long the war would last. Some thought it would last little more than a year, while others believed that it would be longer than the first, which was about eleven years. Harry knew that it would last until he could finish it, or until Voldemort killed him. Fat lot of fun that would be.

After a while, Harry began to relax and really enjoy himself. Normally during the Hogwarts feast, Ron and Hermione would be questioning him about his summer and whether Voldemort was bothering him, discussing Voldemort, wondering about their new Defense professor, worrying about their friends, Dumbledore, and the Order, and worrying about Voldemort even more. Occasionally a bit of Quidditch would slip in, but never had Harry enjoyed the beginning of a term so much. It was nothing like his first year at Hogwarts, but it was his first year at McKinley's, and Harry found that it was just as magical.

After they had feasted until their stomachs bulged and the number of yawns increased tenfold, Ms. Davis rose and dismissed them. Harry, however, was to stay behind. He met Ms. Davis, gave her his tuition and choice of classes, and then made his way up to the eleventh and twelfth grade floor. Everyone had retreated to their dormitories but for two twelfth graders who were deep in conversation by the fire when Harry arrived. They didn't look up when he entered, and Harry went immediately to his dormitory. He was sharing a dormitory with Tim, a far cry from Ron, Neville, Dean, and Seamus. If Harry had to compare him to one of his dorm mates at Hogwarts, it would probably be Dean. Tim was very creative and artistic, Harry supposed. They didn't know each other too well, but Harry figured that they would know perhaps too much about each other by the end of the year.

Tim was in bed when Harry arrived, and large sketchbook in his lap and look of concentration on his face. A Muggle pencil was resting lightly in his hands, and he didn't look up from his drawing when Harry entered.

"How d'you like McKinley's so far?" he asked, keeping his eyes on the sketch. Harry shrugged, shutting the door behind himself and moving over to his trunk to take out his pajamas.

"It's pretty great," he confessed honestly, pulling off his shirt. "I guess I'll really see tomorrow in class, won't I?"

"Hmm." Tim remained focused on the sketchbook and only paused when Harry turned off the large light, leaving the candles on the bedside tables the only source of light. He put away the book in the top drawer of his bedside table as Harry crawled into bed, placing the pencil neatly on top.

"G'night."

"Night."

Both boys blew out their candles at the same moment, and the room fell into a comfortable, heavy darkness. Harry closed his aching eyes and relaxed, taking the moment to think of his friends. Ron was probably at Grimmauld Place with everyone else, glaring at everyone and being in a general foul mood. Hermione was most likely enveloped in a book or trying to pull Ron out of his funk. Ginny could be doing anything- Harry never knew with her. She could be pulling a prank, reading with Hermione, playing chess with Ron, writing to one of her own friends, helping her mother, talking to her father….

While Harry imagined all the possibilities of what Ginny might be doing, he slipped easily into sleep.

* * *

"_No, My Lord. There is no trace of him. The boy was very careful."_

"_Idiots! The boy must be somewhere! He is a foolish child. He lets his emotions control him. There is no way that he could have put so much thought into such a thing as running away! Find him!"_

"_Y-Yes, My Lord."_

"_For your ignorance and blundering, you will be punished accordingly."_

"_N-No, My Lord! Please! I will do better! I will find him! Please, My Lord!"_

"_Yes, you will. And perhaps Bella can encourage you. Bella?"_

"_Yes, My Lord. _Crucio_!"_

"_N-AAAAAAAARRRRRGGHHHHH!"_

* * *

Harry woke suddenly, clutching his forehead, to find Tim standing next to his bed, looking very concerned. 

"Harry, are you okay?" he asked worriedly, handing him a glass of water. "I was about to dump this on you to wake you up, but I bet your throat would make better use of it. You were screaming pretty loudly."

"Did I wake anyone up?"

"Besides me? No. There are Silencing Charms on the rooms. What was that all about? Are you all right?"

"Sorry. Nightmares. I'll be fine."

"Nightmares? Man, I haven't had those since I was a kid. Are they really so bad?"

"Well, they are about Voldemort. The Cruciatus Curse isn't exactly pleasant, you know."

"You've actually … felt that?"

"Yeah," Harry chortled unamusedly, sipping the water gratefully. "It's one of Voldemort's favorites."

"So he's really that bad?"

"Worse. You've no idea. People back home are too scared to even say his name. They call him You-Know-Who or He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. It's ridiculous, but they do."

"Really?"

"Yeah. It's kind of weird to hear people talking about him like they do here, honestly. Everyone's terrified of him. And rightly so, actually. He doesn't play for fun, and he certainly doesn't play fair."

"I had no idea it was so bad."

"Well, now you do."

"Why don't you go take a shower?" Tim suggested. He raked a hand through his matted, curly hair. "It'll help. Besides, it's only half past seven. Only an hour and a half until class. You'd never be able to get back to sleep."

"Thanks." Harry slid out of bed, shaking slightly, and made his way to the bathroom. Tim really was a good guy. As he turned to shut the door behind himself, Harry saw Tim pulling out his sketchbook again. Yes, Harry would definitely compare him to Dean.

* * *

Classes, Harry discovered, were relatively pleasant at McKinley's. 

His first class was Advanced Potions, which was much more enjoyable without Snape. The professor, Ms. Hammond, knew her potions well, and she taught them in a way that Harry was unused to. She informed them of the potion, its effects, common mistakes in making the potion, and compared it to other potions while they took notes. Harry had never realized that there was much more to it than just making the potion. Snape had never taught them any of this.

Second period was Advanced Transformulation, in which they were lectured on the basics of Transfiguration while they reviewed. Harry found that he was ahead a bit in that class, so relaxed and answered when called on with ease.

His third class, after lunch, was Advanced Divination. Despite his misgivings about the subject due to Trelawney, Harry felt that he should learn more about this imprecise branch of magic, considering it was going to be ruling his life mercilessly. It was also a review, and Harry found that he had a lot to catch up on. He soon realized that passing his exam had been pure luck, or so he thought, and he had no real knowledge of the subject. Half of the stuff he had learned from Trelawney was wrong and had to be corrected. It wasn't as bad as he had expected, though.

The last class of his first day was Defense. The entire time was spent taking notes on tactics and strategies used when you are cornered and outnumbered, ending with a demonstration by the professor. It seemed that the Muggle method of Defense was highly effective, which was why it was taught as a regular class. Harry was impressed by the sheer flexibility and strength the professor portrayed, as well as the incredibly useful knowledge. In his mind, it was his best class of the day.

The next day was Advanced Defensive Magic, Advanced Charms, Advanced Magical Creatures, and Advanced Astronomy.

Defensive Magic was nearly as good as Defense, but everything they were learning was review to Harry. They were only just learning about the Unforgivable Curses, yet Harry had learned those in fourth year. However, the teacher was good, and she covered the material much better than his other teachers ever had. Harry couldn't wait to learn something he didn't already know.

Charms was brilliant, in Harry's opinion. They were learning some of the more advanced charms, such as charming solid objects into life and controlling them, and even the Patronus Charm. Some of it was review, but Harry learned a good deal that he hadn't learned before. It proved to be an interesting class that Harry looked forward to.

Magical Creatures was, in all honesty, a bit of a joke. All they did was look at the text, review the names and properties of the creatures, and talk. A lot. Harry was surprised by how much talking the teacher allowed. The students interrupted her in the middle of speech and whispered to each other loudly when she was giving instructions, but she hardly said a word about it. It anyone had tried that in McGonagall's or Snape's, they would have had detention before you could bat an eye.

Astronomy was no better. They studied star charts and discussed the conditions, properties, and features of each of the major stars, planets, and constellations. A few times the teacher actually went off into a story about one of the subjects, and the students would pay just enough attention to keep her going while holding side conversations with their friends.

Harry's first week passed quickly, and soon it was Saturday. Harry took the extra time he had to write his letters. It had been nearly a month since he had last written, and no doubt everyone was worried.

_Dear Ginny,_

_Wow! America is incredible! I love it here already! I'm a bit more recognized over here, but those contacts help a lot. _

_Central Park Avenue was great. You would love it. It was just as it was described in the book you read. There was a gorgeous garden in the center, too. I stayed at the inn, The Double-U Inn, and made some great friends. Ryan is the son of the owner of the bookshop in Central Park Avenue called Quick Thinking. It has all the school supplies. He's going to take it over for his dad when he's grown up. It's very funny, but he has red hair a lot like Bill's in style. Truly a Weasley color. He has green eyes almost exactly like mine, and he's practically a carbon copy of his father. He plays basketball for the school and taught me how to play this summer. His mum is really nice, too. Ryan's little sister, Rachel, is a good friend as well. She's got the same green eyes as her brother and dad, but she has blonde hair like her mum's. She's on the gymnastics team, and Ryan says she's the best one. She's a year younger than you. Actually, she's a lot like a quieter, much more sensitive version of you. Pretty funny, really. Ryan's friends, Tim and Nathan, are my friends now as well. Nathan is on the basketball team, and Tim is on the swim team. He's a real artist, too. A bit like Dean, really. He's my dorm mate (we only have to share a room with one other person here!), and he's really nice about my nightmares and such. I had one the first night here. Voldemort knows that I've gone and he has people searching for me. _

_Class is good. I'm taking Advanced Defensive Magic, Defense, Advanced Charms, Advanced Transformulation, Advanced Astronomy, Advanced Magical Creatures, Advanced Potions, and even Advanced Divination. Defensive Magic, Defense, and Charms are my favorite classes so far. Transformulation is a lot of review, and so is Magical Creatures and Astronomy. Divination is much better, mostly because there's no Trelawney, but I have a long ways to go to catch up. Potions really isn't so bad, but Snape doesn't teach us anything worth learning. Really, you should study up some more on different kinds of potions, how they react together, stuff like that. It's really proved helpful._

_Tonight I'm going to talk to Ms. Davis (the Overseer, like Deputy Head) about having some kind of meeting. Everyone gives me weird looks, but they've been forbidden from asking me questions about my past. I want to get it out in the open, because some kids who ambushed me in the Sports Shoppe at Central Park Avenue made me promise. It's really awkward. _

_I'm going to try out for the basketball team, so I'll write to let you know how that goes. I might join the Art Club as well. Tim says I'm good, but I don't know yet. _

_It's really different here. It's really nice. Lincoln Hall is grand- really elegant and extravagant. So is the Dining Room. There are columns, marble, porcelain, flower vases, busts, stained glass windows, silver silverware, round tables, it's all really nice. They have a big swimming pool, basketball court, indoor football court, and gymnastics area. They have a theatre, libraries for each different grade, a weight room, and all sorts of other Muggle things. There are three floors above Lincoln Hall for the dormitories and floor rooms. The second floor is for the seventh and eighth graders, the third is for ninth and tenth, and the fourth is for eleventh and twelfth (my grade and the year above mine)._ _There are two people per dormitory, and the dormitories are all lined up down two separate hallways, one for girls, and one for boys. The floor room is like the common room, only slightly different. They have all sorts of games in there, Muggle and magical alike. People do everything in their dormitories or floor rooms. There aren't any houses, which is actually kind of cool. You wouldn't believe all the stuff that's here!_

_I should end this now, but I've sent some letters for Remus, Ron, Hermione, Dumbledore, and a few other people along with this. Could you make sure they get them? You could just leave them on their plate or something when they aren't looking, but somehow could you get them to them? Thanks._

_Really, thanks so much for helping me, Ginny. I can't thank you enough. It's great to get away for a while. I'll write again as soon as I can._

_Best Wishes,_

_Harry_

_Dear Remus,_

_I told you I would write you! Sorry it took so long, but letters are limited. I happen to know that Dumbledore is searching for me. I'm not completely cut off from the news, you know. I specifically told him not to bother, but that's just typical Dumbledore, isn't it? You don't have to worry about me at all, because I'm perfectly safe, I assure you. I'm getting a good education and am in no danger whatsoever._

_It's great to be a normal teenager for once! Of course, people do recognize me some, but I've been able to avoid detection most of the time. People who do know who I am are sworn to secrecy. I made some very good friends. They're a lot like the Weasleys, only they have two kids instead of seven. My best mate, Ryan, is really brilliant, and his little sister, Rachel, is cool too. They're making sure I don't get into any trouble. My dorm mate, Tim, deals with my nightmares very well. After the first night, which was a bit of a shock for him, he's gotten used to them and makes sure that I have a glass of water afterwards to cool me down. My other friend, Nathan, is great as well, though I don't know him so well yet. The girls my age aren't so great, though they do provide entertainment. There are a few who are nice, but I can't see myself being interested in them. One girl, Irene, is a real fan of mine and nearly mobbed me when she found out who I was. It's crazy and really disconcerting, but I'm adjusting quite nicely. I'll be arranging for a meeting of some sort to take place so I can explain stuff to everyone and answer questions. Not everything, of course, but as much as I can without being harmful, just to get everyone off my back._

_I haven't had a chance to look at your pensieve yet, because I've been really busy getting ready for school, working, making friends, and avoiding fan girls for the past few weeks. I really can't wait though. Should I take someone with me or go alone? I don't know if I'll want anyone there or not, since I don't know what the memories are about. _

_To put your mind at ease: I am happy, safe, and, of course, missing you all terribly but enjoying myself nonetheless. It's great to get know new people! You'll have to tell me how you're doing. I probably won't be able to write back for another month or two, at the very earliest, but I'd love to hear from you. You can just leave your letter on the table at Grimmauld Place and it will get to me. Please though, don't try to watch for whoever gets it or try to attach a portkey or something to it, because if you do I won't be able to write to you anymore. Besides, if no one else can find me, Voldemort can't find me, right? Please don't try to bring me back before I'm ready- I've only just begun to live my life, and I want to enjoy it for as long as I can. _

_That about wraps it up. I supposed I'll hear from you soon? Sorry I couldn't put much information in, but I can't give away my hiding place. Again, please don't try to locate me. The less people who know, the less likely it is that Voldemort will find out. I promise to be good (at least somewhat) and take care of myself (Ryan's mum will make sure of that, as will Rachel), and I'll try not to get into trouble. I'll look into the pensieve as soon as I get the opportunity. Any warnings? Don't worry yourself, and I'll write again when I can. Take care. Hope to hear from you soon._

_Love,_

_Harry_

_Dear Weasleys,_

_Well, I made it here without incident. I'm currently being schooled and am very content after perhaps the best summer I've ever had. I've made friends, and my classes are pretty great. I'm learning loads. You know I miss you all, but I really am happy here. I told you I'll be back, so don't worry about me staying here forever. Please don't try to contact me- I have my own ways of finding out things. I'm perfectly safe where I am, but that is mostly due to secrecy. Thanks again for everything you've all done for me. I suppose I'll see you when I do, and I might write again sometime._

_Sincerely,_

_Harry_

_PS- I know you'll share this with the Order and Hermione, so I won't bother writing them._

Harry tied these letters all together in a package to give to Ms. Davis. Just as he tied them up, Ryan burst into the dormitory excitedly.

"There you are!" he exclaimed with a large grin. "I've been looking everywhere! B-ball in the gym. Now!"

Harry's face split into a smile. "Brilliant! Be right there."

Ryan left, and Harry changed into athletic clothing quickly. He had only played with Ryan, Mr. Lane, and his friends, so he couldn't wait to be involved in an actual basketball game. On the way out, he grabbed the package of letters to drop by Ms. Davis's office on his way to the game. He really felt like he was living now, and it felt good.

* * *

**A/N: WOOHOO! **First chappie up:victory dance: I'll go celebrate by reviewing for my Algebra exam. Care to join me? Hmm...Thought so. Anyways, since you can't take my exam for me, please REVIEW! I really love to hear what you guys have to say- it makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside. :D Love you! 

V.C.


	3. Correspondence

_Inspired by_ "_Meant to Live" The Beautiful Letdown. Switchfoot but unable to post the song on the site becaues of the ludicrous rules. Thank the lovely **ShavariBlue** for saving this story from its untimely demise._

* * *

_**Meant to Live**_

Chapter Two: Correspondence

by V. C. (Velvet Curtain)

**Words: **approx. 3500

**Microsoft Word Web Pages: **3

**Rating:** PG (according to me, not the site)

**Reasons: **Harry's kind of ticked, there's light romance, and a few things I don't think would be appropriate for very young children. It's my personal feeling, but feel free to disagree.

**Relationships:** Harry/multi, Ron/Hermione, OC/OC

**Summary:** Harry gets ticked at having no control over his own life, so decides to take a bit of a trip to regain that control. On the way, he makes some pretty amazing discoveries. Some tragedy, lots of drama (a lot like a soap opera, I think), light romance (for now...), slight OOC (no one can be completely IC, I don't think), etc. Enjoy!

**Disclaimer: **If I owned this, I would not be writing this.

**A/N:** This is really just a quick filler chapter that I wrote when I got home from my exam (by the way, I'll probably get a B, or, if I'm lucky, an A-) just for a reviewer, **korrd**, who requested that I say what's going on in the UK. No, I'm not going to have Harry learn Chinese. Sorry, **frozenwands**, but I'm very American (McKinley's House of Magic is located on Detriot St., just down the road from my own school ;D), and my school only offers French and Spanish. Also, I'm practically clueless on Chinese culture. My elder sister and brother were born in Japan, but I still know next to nothing about that either. As fascinating as the ancient Chinese culture would be, I have other plans for this story. China doesn't quite fit. :D Yes, I will have a different language involved in the story, and yes, I will include some anceint magics, but that's a bit _too_ foreign to me. I'd love to see someone else write it, though! I would particularly like to thank **PsychicLunar** for the awesome review. Thanks for the offer! I really hope I passed. :hehe: I really hate point-slope and slope-intercept. I can never remember the formulas. Trust me, I know all about slow updating. Whoever's been reading my other story knows, too:blushes: I can sympathize with them, but I am going to try to update lots now that it's summer. Woohoo! You will have to give me a few pardon weeks, though. I have a busy summer (cheer camp, HBP, vacation in Minnesota at my grandparents' cabin by the lake thank her, by the way, for getting me hooked on HP, and a wedding in Las Vegas. Plus, our school is ultra-evil and is starting August 18th :scowl:), but I will do my best. THANK YOU! I love comments on my writing! I had so much fun with that chapter. I thought I was going a bit OOC with the letters (Harry isn't normally that emotional), so thank you for assuring me that I wasn't being over-dramatic. I'm touching:smiles bashfully: That sounds lovely! Update quick enough? ;P By the way, I love the poem on your profile. **DemonicK**? I think there might have been a mix-up. Some on e-mailed me to tell me that my story had no link and signed as DemonicK, so I thanked them for making my story accessible to everyone! Apparently, there is more than one DemonicK, if that wasn't you. :D

Guess what, all? I got SEVEN reviews today! I came home after a very dull, boring, annoying, unthrilling Algebra exam, found out one was my friends was moving and a bunch more were leaving my school, was accused by my mother of being a witch (we have some issues to sort out, if you can't tell- it's ridiculous), and signed online to check e-mail with a throbbing headache and major cramps. Then, I find that I, in fact, have five reviews waiting in my inbox! While I was reading them, I got another one! Then, while I was typing up this filler, I got another one! It was so exciting! I feel all better now! Thank you all SO so SO much! I love you all! I know have a total of 23 reviews and 1 e-mail from fanfictioners in my folder! That's 24! (I may not be skilled with Algebra, but I can add.) Whoot!

I hope the extremely long, rambling author's note makes up for the very short chappie. I'll start writing the next chapter ASAP!Enjoy!

* * *

**2. Correspondence**

Ginny Weasley growled in the back of her throat. She was really ticked. It had been nearly a month since Harry had "disappeared," and the wizarding world was on the brink of insanity. Why the heck did people rely on Harry so much anyways? Of course, she knew, but the public didn't know why he was so important. They didn't understand. He was just a celebrity to them, but they still thought it was their business when he decided to take a break. Gah!

Currently, Ginny was glaring at the table in the kitchen of 12 Grimmauld Place as though wishing to set fire to it, doing her best not to lose her temper with the frantic people all around her. There was a full search in progress; Harry had known they wouldn't listen to him. Really, sometimes Ginny didn't know why he tried. No one was ever going to listen to him. They were being such idiots- how could they rely on him to save the world when they couldn't even rely on him to take care of himself? Honestly, they were completely bonkers. They kept Harry under lock and key for his entire life; if Dumbledore was so great, shouldn't he have seen this coming? Really, a hormonal teenage boy locked up in a small house in a boring neighborhood during the summer under constant supervision- and they didn't expect repercussions? Ginny could definitely sympathize with Harry.

"I still can't believe Harry would do something like this," cried Mrs. Weasley tearfully, making Ginny roll her eyes heavenward. How many times had she heard that in the past month? "He's so thoughtful- Really, are you sure he hasn't been kidnapped? Surely he wouldn't do this on his own…."

"What about the team?" wailed Ron, sounding like a lost puppy. Ginny actually felt rather sorry for him. She had never seen her brother so … lost. It was like he didn't know what to do with himself anymore, and he was always worried about Harry. "Without Harry, we have no chance at the cup!"

Ginny bit the inside of her cheek to keep herself from shouting at him. They won the cup without Harry last year! Honestly, the world did _not_ revolve around him. Yes, the fate of it rested on his shoulders, but the earth still followed a heliocentric path. Last she checked, Harry was not 11,000 degrees Fahrenheit at the surface. Perhaps his temper could rival it, but certainly not his attitude.

"I do hope he's learning something," said Hermione fretfully, wringing her hands as she sat across the table from Ginny, her hair bushier than ever from incessant tugging. "If he's in another country, I hope that it will at least be good for him. Honestly, why he chose this year of all years to leave is beyond me. Where could he be?"

"He always wanted to visit the ocean," put in Ron brightly, looking excited all of a sudden. "Maybe he went to the coast!"

"We've already checked, Ronald," snapped Mrs. Weasley. "Professor Dumbledore is holding some conferences with the representatives of the other countries to see if we can locate him. Now sit down- you're wearing a hole in the rug."

Ron grumbled as he took the seat beside Hermione, running his hands through his hair, making it stand straight on end.

"I'm sure Harry is fine," sighed Lupin. He looked tired, Ginny noticed. He had been incredibly sad ever since Sirius had gone through the veil, but after Harry left he just hadn't been the same. He had no energy anymore. Ginny had caught him reading Harry's letter just the other day in the study, tears streaming down his face silently. She had left immediately as soon as she realized what it was- it took her a second to recognize the worn bit of parchment. Apparently, that wasn't the first time he had reread the letter. He was worse even than Ron, but Ginny could hardly blame him. He had lost all of his closest friends to Voldemort, and now he was losing the boy who was practically his nephew. He had, however, been spending more time with Ginny. They were a good match at chess, and Remus had taught her some fascinating curses and shields. She suspected that he knew she was Harry's contact, but he wouldn't try anything. He just looked so sad….

The room fell silent after Lupin's weary words.

"Remus is right," growled Moody, a distorted smile on his scarred face. "If anyone can take care of himself, that boy can. Say, Molly, have you any of that cake left? I had a bit of a craving earlier."

"Certainly," agreed Molly quickly, looking happy to have something to do. She bustled about to prepare the dessert as more people agreed with Moody. Ginny sighed, relieved. Once again, she held her tongue. Her temper went down slowly and she finally raised her eyes to look at Ron and Hermione, who were having a hushed conversation, no doubt about Harry. Honestly!

"I'm up to bed," she announced finally, standing from the bench as Ron and Hermione's whispers about Harry grew louder. "I have some reading to catch up on. 'Night, all."

That said, Ginny walked calmly out of the kitchen, Crookshanks at her heels. Crookshanks had been quite taken with her ever since they met, which disgruntled Hermione just a bit. Ron was pleased though- the less he saw of the cat, the better. Once she was out of hearing distance of the kitchen, Ginny stormed up to her room, careful to tiptoe past Mrs. Black's portrait. Her temper was rising again, and she didn't want to release it downstairs and accidentally let out Harry's secret. She shut her door quietly behind her, sat calmly on the edge of her bed, grabbed her pillow, pressed it firmly to her face, and screamed.

Ten minutes later, Ginny's pillow was a pile of feathers and tattered cloth. Her fingernails could do with a clipping, she supposed. All her furious energy gone now, Ginny lay back on her bed and closed her eyes wearily. This was getting old. It was the third pillow she ruined, and she let Hermione believe she angry at Harry for leaving. It kept her quiet, anyways. The loud-mouthed prefect had learned to keep her mouth shut about Harry around Ginny, who fixed her with a deathly glare every time she brought it up, not dissimilar to her mother.

A soft knock on the door disturbed her thoughts. Remus. He was the only one that knocked, really.

"Come in," Ginny called, sitting up and shoving the pillow remains underneath her blankets quickly, sitting on them to hide the oddly shaped lump. Remus entered, smiling sadly, and took the chair nearby. This wasn't unusual. Despite Ginny's disbelief that she was becoming friends with a former professor, Remus turned out to quite nice and very lonely. They were now on first name basis, unless they were around other people. He told her all the stories about when he was at school with the Marauders, and it seemed to do him good to have someone to confide in again.

"Angry?" he asked quietly, knowingly. He had learned to decipher her emotions by now, though he still rather obviously had no idea where they came from. He was very insightful.

"Very," replied Ginny with a heavy sigh. "You would think they would understand, but not even Ron and Hermione can give him space. Personally, I'm glad he left. He was getting a bit moody, and it would be nice for him to actually have a life."

Remus chuckled, shaking his head. "True, true. He does at least deserve that, what with the prophecy and all."

Yes, they both knew about the prophecy. Dumbledore told Remus after Harry disappeared, which made Remus absolutely furious. He had shared it with Ginny, as well, but they agreed not to tell Ron or Hermione. Being Harry's best friends, they would flip. Ginny was going to tell Harry that she knew about it in her next letter, just so he knew. After all, being his contact had responsibilities. It meant she told him everything. It was very fun- Ginny had started a letter to Harry a long time ago, just recording news as it came so that he could have a full update. Once she got his letter, she would add a response to his letter and send it along. It was rather like keeping a journal, actually, only not as personal. This one didn't talk back.

"So, up for a game of chess? I'm in a particularly vindictive mood at the moment. I could whoop you," challenged Ginny like a true Weasley. Remus mock glared at her.

"Now, now, Miss Weasley," he chided her with a small grin. "If you recall, it was I who whooped you last game."

"Like I said, I'm feeling vindictive," Ginny reminded him with a smile similar to that of a Cheshire cat. "Come on. I'm going to have to borrow Ron's set- my queen is still recovering from your knight's attack."

* * *

Later that night, Ginny snuck down to the kitchen while the others were asleep. She could hear her parents chatting up in bed, and Hermione was already asleep. As it was nearing two o'clock in the morning, Ginny wasn't surprised. Quiet as a cat, and just as slinky, Ginny made her way down the blackened halls with care, keeping in the shadows. Sometimes an Order member came in at an odd hour, so she was always on alert. She did this every night, having been given instructions from Harry to being this routine as of his departure. He said that was how she could contact him. So far, no letters had come, but Ginny kept the vigil. 

She slid into the kitchen just as the clock turned to one-fifty-nine. One minute, and then she could go back up to bed. She reclined in a chair and stared at the table, stifling a yawn. As important as she knew this was, it was certainly tiring. She much preferred uninterrupted sleep. She sighed and turned her eyes to the clock, watching the second hand as it jerked around the face slowly, ticking softly. She yawned again. Oh, how she loved the early hours of the morning. She was going to kill Harry for this. Right after he killed Voldemort.

The second hand finally reached the minute hand, and together they moved to read two o'clock. Ginny returned her gaze to the table and smiled to find that, for the very first time, there was a bundle of letters on said table, with the top one addressed to her in Harry's familiar handwriting. Her sleepiness vanished as she took the letters, beaming. She left the room the same way she came and locked herself in one of the side rooms that she had long ago claimed as her own. No one ever came into this room, and she had cleaned it by herself.

Excitement coursing through her veins, Ginny took the letter from the bundle and opened it, staring at the seal for only a second. It was a deep burgundy with the crest of an eagle, which she assumed was for the United States.

_Dear Ginny,_

_Wow! America is incredible! I love it here already! I'm a bit more recognized over here, but those contacts help a lot. _

_Central Park Avenue was great. You would love it. It was just as it was described in the book you read. There was a gorgeous garden in the center, too. I stayed at the inn, The Double-U Inn, and made some great friends. Ryan is the son of the owner of the bookshop in Central Park Avenue called Quick Thinking. It has all the school supplies. He's going to take it over for his dad when he's grown up. It's very funny, but he has red hair a lot like Bill's in style. Truly a Weasley color. He has green eyes almost exactly like mine, and he's practically a carbon copy of his father. He plays basketball for the school and taught me how to play this summer. His mum is really nice, too. Ryan's little sister, Rachel, is a good friend as well. She's got the same green eyes as her brother and dad, but she has blonde hair like her mum's. She's on the gymnastics team, and Ryan says she's the best one. She's a year younger than you. Actually, she's a lot like a quieter, much more sensitive version of you. Pretty funny, really. Ryan's friends, Tim and Nathan, are my friends now as well. Nathan is on the basketball team, and Tim is on the swim team. He's a real artist, too. A bit like Dean, really. He's my dorm mate (we only have to share a room with one other person here!), and he's really nice about my nightmares and such. I had one the first night here. Voldemort knows that I've gone and he has people searching for me. _

_Class is good. I'm taking Advanced Defensive Magic, Defense, Advanced Charms, Advanced Transformulation, Advanced Astronomy, Advanced Magical Creatures, Advanced Potions, and even Advanced Divination. Defensive Magic, Defense, and Charms are my favorite classes so far. Transformulation is a lot of review, and so is Magical Creatures and Astronomy. Divination is much better, mostly because there's no Trelawney, but I have a long ways to go to catch up. Potions really isn't so bad, but Snape doesn't teach us anything worth learning. Really, you should study up some more on different kinds of potions, how they react together, stuff like that. It's really proved helpful._

_Tonight I'm going to talk to Ms. Davis (the Overseer, like Deputy Head) about having some kind of meeting. Everyone gives me weird looks, but they've been forbidden from asking me questions about my past. I want to get it out in the open, because some kids who ambushed me in the Sports Shoppe at Central Park Avenue made me promise. It's really awkward. _

_I'm going to try out for the basketball team, so I'll write to let you know how that goes. I might join the Art Club as well. Tim says I'm good, but I don't know yet. _

_It's really different here. It's really nice. Lincoln Hall is grand- really elegant and extravagant. So is the Dining Room. There are columns, marble, porcelain, flower vases, busts, stained glass windows, silver silverware, round tables, it's all really nice. They have a big swimming pool, basketball court, indoor football court, and gymnastics area. They have a theatre, libraries for each different grade, a weight room, and all sorts of other Muggle things. There are three floors above Lincoln Hall for the dormitories and floor rooms. The second floor is for the seventh and eighth graders, the third is for ninth and tenth, and the fourth is for eleventh and twelfth (my grade and the year above mine)._ _There are two people per dormitory, and the dormitories are all lined up down two separate hallways, one for girls, and one for boys. The floor room is like the common room, only slightly different. They have all sorts of games in there, Muggle and magical alike. People do everything in their dormitories or floor rooms. There aren't any houses, which is actually kind of cool. You wouldn't believe all the stuff that's here!_

_I should end this now, but I've sent some letters for Remus, Ron, Hermione, Dumbledore, and a few other people along with this. Could you make sure they get them? You could just leave them on their plate or something when they aren't looking, but somehow could you get them to them? Thanks._

_Really, thanks so much for helping me, Ginny. I can't thank you enough. It's great to get away for a while. I'll write again as soon as I can._

_Best Wishes,_

_Harry_

She smiled at his letter, thrilled for him. It was good that he was having a good time and had made new friends. She found it very amusing that they were so similar to Ryan's family. It was fascinating how similar yet different things were in America. She was almost jealous. She hoped one day she could meet his new friends- they sounded fantastic.

Ginny pulled the thick set of parchment from the drawer of one of the desks in the room where she had hidden all of her "Harry stuff," as she liked to call it, and sealed it up. There was his news, ready to go. She grabbed some parchment and a quill and set to writing him a more personal letter in response to his own. She encouraged him, teased him, chided him, and filled him in on everything that had happened that day before she folded it up and sealed it. Two letters, ready to go. Now she would just deliver the other letters and go to bed, and, hopefully, she would have replies to send back to him by nightfall.

With a smile still on her face, Ginny crept back down the dark corridors with ease. She slid the letters under doors, and finally crept back into her own room, resealing her own letter and setting it on the floor next to Hermione's. After checking that Hermione's breathing was still deep and even, Ginny crawled back into her own warm bed and curled up, hugging her new pillow tightly as she slipped into the world of the unconscious.

* * *

"AAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!" A scream startled Ginny out of her very pleasant dreams and nearly scaring her to death. She clutched her hand to her heart, which was beating rapidly, and looked around to see what was wrong. All she saw was Hermione, jumping up and down excitedly and waving two letters in her hands with a wide smile on her face. Ginny bit back a smile and faked an annoyed glare. 

"Why, in the name of Merlin, are you screaming bloody murder at-" Ginny checked the clock- "seven o'clock in the morning?" she demanded, pretending to be furious. Hermione did not look repentant.

"Harry wrote!" she screeched joyously, bouncing over to her bed and handing her the letter. Ginny stared at the letter with a blank expression on her face, and then she grinned at Hermione. If she was going to act, she was going to do it well. Very well. She squealed loudly and threw her arms around Hermione, acting for all the world as though she hadn't read her letter the night before. Inside, Ginny was laughing her head off. She had them fooled!

There were more screams all over 12 Grimmauld Place as other discovered their own letters. Mrs. Black had been woken by the chaos, and was now screaming obscenities at all of the people running from room to room, confirming that Harry had, indeed, written them a letter. Ron had burst into the girls' room, a broad, disbelieving smile on his face and his own letter in his hand. When he saw the letters they held, his grin widened and he whooped for joy.

It was Christmas in August for the occupants of 12 Grimmauld Place. Dumbledore was flooed immediately and joined in the celebration for a few minutes before disappearing again to inform the delegates from countries all over the world of this new development. Ginny greatly enjoyed watching everyone's reactions. They all thought she was smiling and laughing at odd moments because she was happy and relieved to have heard from Harry, while she was laughing and smiling at them and their antics. Hermione was running every which way, still in her nightdress, with Ron at her heels. Remus's reaction was the best, Ginny thought. As much fun as it was to see her mother faint dead away and her father looking as though he had discovered a new Muggle toy, Remus's beaming face was the best to see. She might have to add a postscript to Harry's letter to tell him about it.

* * *

Three days later, everyone was still in hysterics over Harry's letters. However, Ginny now had all the responses to send back. Much to her surprise, Remus knew that Ginny was the correspondent. She didn't know how he found out- had Harry told him? - but he knew. He had winked at her when he handed her the letter instead of leaving it on the table and had told her not to worry; he would keep her secret. To say she was surprised was an understatement. She added a second postscript under the one about the reactions to her own letter about that. 

That night, Ginny snuck back down to the kitchen and placed the letters on the table, ready to go. She had checked for Portkeys and tracking spells, and had to remove one from Dumbledore's, and now they were safe for Harry to open. She tied them up in a bundle and set them in the center of the table. As the minute hand moved to read two o'clock again, the bundle vanished silently.

* * *

**A/N:**

I know, really short. I couldn't think of all that much that could be going on in the UK, but I did try, just for you, **korrd**. If anyone would like to write a UK chapter, I'd be happy to post it for them or recommend it. What would be brilliant would be if somebody wrote an entire side story to this, from the UK side. :hint hint: ;D I'm sorry if there are any mistakes- I wrote it in half an hour and didn't spell/grammar check. I apologize deeply and assure that it shall never happen again so long as I can help it. Thank you all for reviewing! Please, DO IT AGAIN! This is the most reviews I've ever had on anything, so I'm very excited. REVIEW!

Love,

V.C.


	4. Getting Settled

_Inspired by _"_Meant to Live" The Beautiful Letdown. Switchfoot but unable to put the song on the site because of the ridiculous rules. If **ShivariBlue** weren't so incredibly nice, this story wouldn't be up for your enjoyment._

* * *

_**Meant to Live**_

Chapter Three: Getting Settled

by V. C. (Velvet Curtain)

**Words: **approx. 4250

**Microsoft Word Web Pages (9 font): **4

**Rating:** PG (according to me, not the site)

**Reasons: **Harry's kind of ticked, there's light romance, and a few things I don't think would be appropriate for very young children. It's my personal feeling, but feel free to disagree.

**Relationships:** Harry/multi, Ron/Hermione, OC/OC

**Summary:** Harry gets ticked at having no control over his own life, so decides to take a bit of a trip to regain that control. On the way, he makes some pretty amazing discoveries. Some tragedy, lots of drama (a lot like a soap opera, I think), light romance (for now...), slight OOC (no one can be completely IC, I don't think), etc. Enjoy!

**Disclaimer: **If I owned this, I would not be writing this.

**A/N:** Wow! Ok, I'm MAJORLY sorry for taking so long! It was crazy! My mum dragged us summer shopping, we went to the 75th anniversary picnic (of our church), my mum made me clean my room (be glad I made it out alive- it's still not finished and I worked all day yesterday), and I got spacers in just this morning so I'm in horrible pain. For those who don't know, spacers are annoying blue rubberbands that the orthodontist puts between your back molars to seperate them so that they can put the braces on. It hurts like none other! I can't eat at all. Seriously, I'm dying here! And my mum just had a big fight with my sister about mowing the lawn (threatening to take away all her summer privileges, waving wooden cooking utensils, calling my father who's in Alaska for work to convince her, loud yelling, the usual), so I'm wiped. Hope it isn't too badly written, though.

Oh, my lovely, lovely reviewers! I love you all so much! I don't know how I'd survive the week without you! **gual1**, you'll just have to wait and see what Ginny does with that portkey. ;D Or perhaps you'd like to write a piece? **Shinigami**, I did think of that, actually. However, Neville can't do that because he has to do something else. Besides, I can't have anyone over there yet. And you knew his Gran would never let him. ;) **korrd**, you're welcome! **potterfanforever**, he's learning Occlumency! Give him some time! He did have Snape as a teacher, after all. Don't worry; all will be fine. Ginny couldn't go with him. That would completely ruin everything I have planned. And I apologize, but this will in no way have Harry/Fleur. Sorry, but she just doesn't fit. Besides, Bill's already claimed her, remember? **DemonicK**, I'm glad too! You really should be an official compliment-giver. Seriously. You'd be awesome at it! **PsychicLunar**, Yeah, Ginny's pretty much the best. :D I'm pretty excited to see Bumbledore's reaction, too! It's so wonderful to have such a consistant reviewer! Thank you! **cat**, thanks! Here's your reaction:D Also,lots of thanks and tons of hugs to **LiLy MaLfOy13**, **N **(sorry, but it won't put your name right- I tried a dozen times), **nandhp**, **Matt101**, and **Seattlite**! I'm SO glad you're all reading and liking what you're reading:D Also, I think you reviewers might enjoy this, I've set up a game sort of thing on my profile. Check it out! Be Sorted into your House at nimbo . net, then tell me which House you're in, and then try to spot my foreshadowing! 5 points if you catch onto the general idea, and 10 if you nail it! I'll put your names under your Houses on my profile and update it with points regularly. Sound fun? I thought it might be a challenge. I'd like to see the way you lot think! Thanks again! Here's chapter three:

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**3. Getting Settled**

The week Harry received the replies to his letters, he was a very busy boy. Tim had convinced him to join the Art Club, insisting he was brilliant at it, and Harry had found that he very much enjoyed it. It was very relieving for him to let out his emotions on canvas, paper, or any other material that he could find. Ryan found it amusing. Art Club met every Tuesday and Thursday night at seven o'clock in the twelfth grade corridor Astronomy classroom, which was quite large, and where the ceiling and walls were duplicates of the night sky so that the students could study there at any time of day. Also, the review week was now over and classes were becoming much more interesting and difficult. They had lots of homework now. Wednesday held the basketball team try-outs, indoor soccer try-outs, and swim team try-outs. Harry had made the basketball team, much to his surprise, with Ryan, while Nathan had made the soccer team and Tim had made the swim team. Even the older members had to try-out, otherwise Ryan, Nathan, and Tim would have been very bored that night. On Friday night the eleventh graders took a field trip to a Muggle movie theatre, Regal Cinemas, to see a film. It was near a mall, the Fairfield Commons, and afterwards they chanced a trip to the food court. Harry was stunned, having never been in a mall before, and took Ryan's advice to try Chick Fil-A, which he found wonderful. He tried some of Tim's dinner from the Cajun Grill, and Nathan's from Subaro, both of which were just as marvelous. He found that not all the girls in his class were as mad as Irene, and he soon became rather attached to Jennifer and Ashley London, identical twins with opposite personalities. Jennifer was bubbly and excitable, constantly on the move. Her blonde hair was curled tightly and bounced, seeming to match her personality. Her smile was white, straight, and filled with laughter all the time. Ashley, on the other hand, was quiet, shy, and very observant. She was a part of the Creative Writing club, aspiring to be an author one day, and the Drama Club. She loved to have fun, but she was much more thoughtful than her sister and _didn't_ curl her hair, which was stick straight. A few of the twelfth graders had invited him to join them at the Seniors' Café, which was located on the roof next to the theatre. Only the seniors were permitted, though they could bring younger guests. It was crowded, with constant dancing and a good selection of desserts and drinks. He was pulled onto the dance floor by at least a dozen girls in the first hour. Once he had enough caffeine, dancing wasn't quite as hard as he thought it was at first. After his first day (Monday), Harry was common guest at the Seniors' Café. Ryan, Nathan, Tim, and Jennifer were extremely jealous, but Ashley, Rachel, and Julia just waved it off, saying that it wasn't their thing.

Harry was thrilled to receive the letter, but he wasn't very surprised when Ginny told him Remus knew who his contact was. He figured he might, considering all the hints that must have been dropped. _I've recruited all of them to make sure you aren't left alone, especially Ginny. She'll need someone to talk to, since I know that as much as her brothers love her, she's still the youngest and only girl in that family and it gets really lonesome …_ _You can just leave your letter on the table at Grimmauld Place and it will get to me. Please though, don't try to watch for whoever gets it or try to attach a portkey or something to it, because if you do I won't be able to write to you anymore. Besides, if no one else can find me, Voldemort can't find me, right? Please don't try to bring me back before I'm ready- I've only just begun to live my life, and I want to enjoy it for as long as I can …_"You would think they would understand, but not even Ron and Hermione can give him space. Personally, I'm glad he left. He was getting a bit moody, and it would be nice for him to actually have a life." Remus told him that he knew as well, and it was a shocker to discover that both Remus and Ginny knew about the prophecy but a relief. It was good that they knew. Harry didn't know how he was going to keep it to himself, but at the same time, he hadn't known how to tell them. It was … _amusing_ to hear of Dumbledore's reaction to his disappearance, to say the least.

**_Ginny's Flashback-----_**

"He's gone!" It was the first thing Ginny Weasley heard on the morning of August first when she went down for breakfast in the morning. She smiled, but she quickly yawned as she came face to face with a frantic Tonks, who had just barged in the door and tripped over the umbrella stand. Again.

"Who's gone?" Ginny asked, feigning ignorance. Tonks tugged at her bubble-gum pink hair in distress.

"Harry! He's disappeared! I don't know where he is!" Tonks screeched. She stood and stumbled into the kitchen, where she was immediately questioned by the others. Ginny joined them after working up her most concerned, shocked expression.

"What do you mean you don't know where he is?"

"Where could he possibly have gone?"

"How could he get out?"

"Where were you?"

"What about Mrs. Figg? Surely she saw something?"

"What about the Dursleys? Where were they?"

"Now? How could he?"

"What if he was kidnapped?"

"Did You-Know-Who finally breach the wards?"

"Does Dumbledore know?"

The room went on pause as Kingsley dove for the fireplace to floo-call Dumbledore. Ten seconds later, Dumbledore's head was floating in the fireplace, his silver beard trailing in the ashes, an un-phased smile on his face.

"And how may I help you this lovely morning?" he questioned with twinkling eyes. "I would offer you a lemon drop, but I'm afraid I'm not in the position to do so."

"Harry's gone."

"Of course he isn't," smiled Dumbledore pleasantly. "Tonks was on duty last night. I'm sure he just went on a walk."

"No, he's _gone_," insisted Tonks, falling to her knees in tears in front of the fireplace. "I'm so sorry! Really, I don't know where he could have gone! One minute he was there, and next thing I knew he wasn't! Really! And the Dursleys have gone to retrieve their sister from the airport, so I really don't-"

"He's probably with them, then. I'm sure he's fine," Dumbledore reassured her calmly, his eyes still twinkling behind his half-moon glasses. "No need to panic. Kingsley, Tonks, please wait for them outside the airport to give them extra protection. We don't want anything to happen to him, do we? I'll stop by for lunch and you can tell me all about it."

That said, Dumbledore nodded to the others in the room and disappeared.

**new flashback**

"He… He…" Dumbledore stumbled over his words as Ginny had never heard before. She stifled her laughter, knowing that her mother would kill her if she were caught with the Extendable Ears. "How could he possibly have…? There was no way for him to… He… How…?"

No one answered. It seemed that everyone was stunned that Harry had gotten on a plane to somewhere and the Order had no clue.

"Tonks, you need rest," said Dumbledore, coming back into his regular self, though he seemed a bit put off. "Kingsley, Remus, please go to the Dursleys and search for clues. Perhaps if he had a journal or if he wrote something down…."

There was a shuffling, and Ginny quickly withdrew the Extendable Ear, stuffing it in her pocket and going back to playing with Crookshanks. Tonks, Kinsley, and Remus came out of the room and smiled at her, Remus's the grimmest. He gave Crookshanks a quick pat as they left.

Ginny smirked as he left with Kingsley, and Tonks had stumbled up the stairs.

Twenty minutes later, the Order left the room and Ginny got her first chance to see Dumbledore since Harry ran away. She had to cough to hide her laughter. He looked like his favorite toy was taken away!

"Ginny, will you set the table, dear?" asked Mrs. Weasley, leaving no room for argument and giving Ginny an opportunity to regain her self-control. She chuckled under her breath as she grabbed a large stack of plates and began to place them around the table. She couldn't wait for Remus and Kingsley to get back.

When Remus and Kingsley got back, Ginny had finally regained her self-control and was fully prepared to burst into heart broken tears when she "learned" that Harry was gone and read his letter. Remus and Kingsley both looked worried and disappointed. Remus passed out the letters while Kingsley toldthem that there was no trace that he had even lived there for the past few years, save the letters that were on the desk. Ginny put on her best worried expression and took her letter from Remus. She read his letter carefully and burst into fake tears, but they were apparently realistic enough for her mother to rush over and envelope her in a large hug while she herself cried. Ginny's choking sobs were laced with laughter, but she didn't think anyone could tell the difference.

"He says not to look for him," said Dumbledore, looking put out. Ginny rolled her eyes into her mother's shoulder.

"Albus! Surely you won't just give up on him!" Mrs. Weasley cried, sounding horrified and betrayed.

"Of course not, Molly," replied Dumbledore with a "reassuring" smile. "We will, of course, continue the search for Harry. If he is not found within Britain, I'll call a meeting with the representatives of all the other wizarding countries. Do not fret, any of you. I'll make sure that Harry is back safe and sound."

Ginny snorted, but she quickly covered this with a sniffle and another sob. Dumbledore patted her on the shoulder on his way out, flooing back to his office. What a fake! He put up such a perfect façade that you wouldn't know it was fake if you weren't looking for it. Whoever knew such a kind old Headmaster could be so manipulative? Harry had better be on his guard. Dumbledore was, after all, an old master at this game.

**_End Ginny's Flashback-----_**

Needless to say, Ryan found Harry in a humorous mood on Saturday afternoon, which was not what the red-headed boy was expected. He raised a curious eyebrow in his friend's direction. Harry laughed and handed him Ginny's letter, which took a few minutes for him to read. While he was reading, Tim and Nathan joined them in the ring of sofas in the floor room a few feet from the foosball table that they had officially claimed as their own territory. They chatted for a while about the next drama production that would be held on Halloween in which Rachel and Julia would both be taking part in. It was supposedly a Shakespeare play, which seemed to have Ryan in a very tense mood. He knew that his sister always got the lead roles, and many of Shakespeare's plays were romantic. Ex: Romeo and Juliet. Needless to say, the over protective side of his siblingship came to the forefront in the past few weeks. Rachel put up with it, but she occasionally did lose her temper with him.

When Ryan finished reading the letter, he was grinning as well.

"That Dumbledore guy is _so_ weird," he announced with a disbelieving grin, shaking his head. "I'm glad you got out of there alive." Ryan sobered quite suddenly. "What was that about the prophecy? Is it true?"

Harry's face paled. He had forgotten that Ginny had written about the prophecy in her letter. Nathan and Tim looked at him with piqued interest.

"What prophecy?"

"Yeah. Whatcha holdin' back, Potter?"

"Let's go to my dorm," said Harry, looking around cautiously, his eyes wary and face tense. The boys agreed, and they all crept back to the dormitory that Harry and Tim shared. Tim flopped down on his bed, where Nathan joined him. Ryan sat on the edge of Harry's bed, looking tensely at his friend who sat next to him.

"So?"

Harry then proceeded to tell his new friends about the prophecy. He didn't have much of a choice, really. By the time he was done, they were stunned, to say the least. Tim was staring at the ceiling, flat on his back, with an expression of shock on his face, while Nathan was studying his hands thoughtfully. Ryan, however, looked like the bottom had just dropped out of his world. His face was pale and his emerald eyes wide. He gulped back what appeared to be a sob and turned to stare at Harry with fathomless eyes.

"So … you really have to kill him or be killed?" he choked, coughing a bit to cover up his shaking voice. Harry nodded slowly, wishing that he would stop looking at him like that. As though sensing Harry's thoughts, Ryan breathed deeply and rolled his shoulders back, managing to grin at him, if a little forced. "Well, glad you came here then. Will you be doing Occlumency and stuff?"

Harry shrugged. "I dunno. I'm going to talk to Ms. Davis about that tonight at our meeting about … Holy crap!" he shouted suddenly, jumping up and staring at his watch. "I'm going to be late!Merlin... See you guys later!"

Harry dashed out of the dorm and ran out of the floor room, dodging Ashley and Jennifer on his way out, and raced down the stairs to Lincoln Hall. He rushed into the Dining Room. He angled up to the portrait of President Jefferson and knocked on the frame uncertainly. The portrait swung open and Harry stepped in, looking relieved to see the grandfather clock behind Ms. Davis's desk read precisely five o'clock. She smiled at him and motioned for him to take a seat, which he did gratefully, still a bit out of breath.

"Dr. Keatley will be joining us shortly," she informed him. Harry nodded and relaxed in the chair, taking the opportunity to look around the room. It was furnished with cherry wood and mahogany, and the colors were deep maroon and navy. He couldn't help thinking that Ron would hate this room. Ms. Davis sat primly behind a cherry wood desk, upon which were many files and what looked like a recent letter. Five minutes later found Dr. Keatley in the office as well. He was a tall, imposing man with thinning dark hair, laughter-filled midnight blue eyes, and a genuine smile. Harry could tell immediately that he was a very different Headmaster from Dumbledore.

"Well, well, hello there, Harry," he greeted him with a grin and a firm handshake that Harry returned. "Good to finally meet the famous Boy-Who-Lived. How're you enjoying McKinley's?"

"It's marvelous, sir," Harry replied with an honest smile.

"Great!" he exclaimed, beaming with sincere pride. "Wonderful school, I think. Really lucky to have gotten this position. Now, let's get down to business. I spoke to Dumbledore not so long ago, if you recall." Harry nodded, remembering that Dumbledore had called a meeting in the UK Harry's first week at school. "He seems very concerned, but I can't say I blame you from wanting out. He seems like the controlling type."

"He is," agreed Harry earnestly before quickly adding, "sir."

Dr. Keatley chuckled and nodded. "I thought he might be. Anyways, he insists that you're in danger. He says Voldemort's after you. How much of that is true?"

"All of it," admitted Harry with a heavy sigh. "But I'm not in danger so long as he doesn't know where I am, and few people truly know that. I will have to learn Occlumency, though, to block my mind from his. Did Dumbledore tell you about the connection?"

Dr. Keatley shook his head negative, looking interested. "Connection? I've never heard of a teenager learning Occlumency before."

"When Voldemort tried to kill me, he left the curse scar, but it isn't just a curse scar. Dumbledore says that supposedly Voldemort transferred some of his abilities to me through my scar, therefore connecting our minds. It's one of the few things from his mouth that I truly believe. I have nightmares in which I can see what he's doing, normally through his own eyes, as though I'm him. He can plant images in my mind to lead me to believe something that isn't true, and I'm afraid that he can see things through my eyes. I need to learn to block my mind from him as quickly as I can. I had lessons at Hogwarts, but my teacher hated my guts and I didn't learn anything worth while."

Dr. Keatley seemed to be absorbing this information like a sponge, looking almost excited. "Fascinating!" He was beginning to remind Harry of Mr. Weasley. "I'll see what I can do. I know a fair Occlumens, an old friend of mine, and I might be able to recruit him. What else isn't Dumbledore telling me?"

"Did he tell you about the prophecy?"

"Prophecy?"

Harry sighed heavily. _Here we go again_…

Harry then proceeded to fill in Dr. Keatley and Ms. Davis on everything he knew about Voldemort, sharing his adventures from his first year to the recent skirmish at the Ministry of Magic. By the time he was finished, Ms. Davis's grandfather clock was reading eight o'clock. Dr. Keatley had conjured a glass of water for him as he spoke, which Harry gulped down gratefully. The two adults seemed to be seeing Harry in a new light.

"We'll arrange for Occlumency lessons immediately, Harry," Dr. Keatley assured him. "Now, on to the matters at hand. I heard that you wished to reveal your history to the other students?"

"Well, sort of, sir," admitted Harry, sitting up straighter. "I ran into some boys at the Sports Shoppe earlier in the summer and they wanted to know all about Harry Potter, since they didn't know that it was me at the time. They were asking a lot of questions, so I said that I'd answer all their questions at McKinley's. Of course, I won't be telling them all about the prophecy, but I do want them to know about my first few years at Hogwarts."

"You know, I think it would be much more effective if you simply transformed your story into a play," suggested Ms. Davis out of the blue, shocking both Dr. Keatley and Harry.

"That's a superb idea, Jocelyn," exclaimed Dr. Keatley, looking thoroughly surprised but excited nonetheless. "I know the Drama Club has been working hard on that Shakespeare play, but do you think we could substitute that with Harry's?"

"Quite possibly," Ms. Davis said. "I'll speak with them about it. I'm sure we can come up with some scripts, and the sets shouldn't be a problem if Harry headed up the Art Club's services. Props aren't an issue. I do believe we'll have a good many students jumping at the opportunity to be in the play, as well. Would you be comfortable with this, Harry?"

Harry shifted his weight, thinking. "I suppose. As long as I can, you know, make sure everything is right."

"Of course!" declared Ms. Davis, looking excited. "You'll be in charge of the whole thing! You can help us pick out the cast, paint the scenery, create the props, write the script, etcetera. After all, the last thing we want is to put lies in their heads. Perhaps you could even narrate it?"

"Sure," Harry conceded. "It'll be hard-pressed, though. Really, that will be hard."

"Well, surely you can't deny a challenge?" grinned Dr. Keatley with great amusement. His eyes traveled to the grandfather clock. "Ah, yes, well, I must go. I have a meeting at nine o'clock with the board of directors. Is there anything else?"

Both Harry and Ms. Davis shook their heads. Dr. Keatley smiled, shook hands with each of them, and left the office. Ms. Davis smiled at him and dismissed him, saying that she was going to get right to work on the play. Harry nodded and ambled out of her office, through Lincoln Hall, and up the stairs to the eleventh and twelfth graders' floor, where he found Ryan, Tim, and Nathan seated in their usual circle with Jennifer and Ashley, chatting about the next swim meet. Both Tim and Ashley were on the swim team, so the prospects were very exciting to them. They greeted Harry brightly when he came in, and Jennifer immediately went to sit on his lap. The first time this had happened, Harry had been shocked and a bit scared of this girl's forwardness, but he soon became used to it. Jennifer was the flitty type, and she never stayed put for too long. She sat on everybody's lap; according to Ashley, she had even sat on Dr. Keatley's lap once in the middle of dinner.

"How'd it go?" she asked him curiously, brushing her curls out of her face to get a better look at him. Harry sighed and ran a hand through his hair habitually.

"Ms. Davis suggested a creative way to tell people my life story, so now we're going to be doing a play of my entire life instead of that Shakespeare thing they were doing before. I get to head up the entire thing."

"Really?" inquired Jennifer excitedly, bouncing up and down in his lap and making him wince.

"Really," he confessed. She squealed happily and jumped up to do a dance that he had come to recognize as her "happy dance."

"This will be great! I wanna try out! Who could I be?"

"Whoever you want to be," Harry shrugged, sinking back into the chair wearily. "Hermione, Ginny, Mrs. Weasley, Professor McGonagall, Professor Sprout, Professor Trelawney, Parvati, Lavender, Padma, Fleur, Angelina, Katie, Alicia, Hannah, Susan, Aunt Petunia, Tonks, Cho, Marietta, Parkinson, for all it matters, you could be a Death Eater, a dementor, or whatever. There's a lot of roles. I hope we can just cut some of them out, 'cos I don't think we're going to be able to have that many people. Not to mention we'll people for each year, meaning that we need people of all different ages to be playing the same role."

Harry sighed heavily, suddenly very tired. "Hey, I'm going to bed. I'm wiped. See you lot in the morning."

"'Night," they chorused, waving him off to his dormitory before bursting into chatter about the play. Harry shut the door of his room and collapsed on his bed, quickly slipping into a dreamless sleep.

* * *

The next day, the announcement about the play was made at breakfast and flyers were posted on the bulletin boards. The entire school went crazy over it. Harry had to avoid Irene all day and really hoped she wouldn't try-out for a part in the play. He met Ms. Davis and the drama instructor, Miss Heinig, that night to work on the script, and they worked on it from five until ten. By the end of that session, Harry was extremely tired, but they had the script for his first year and his earlier childhood ready. Miss Heinig had wanted to put what happened at Godric's Hollow, but Harry didn't know anything about that, so they just settled on the opening scene beginning with a flash of green light and a scream. When Harry returned to his dorm, Tim was up in bed drawing. 

"How'd it go?" Tim asked curiously, though, as per usual, his eyes didn't stray from his artistic work.

"All right. We scripted my first year and before. Monday we're going to work on my second year, Wednesday we'll work on third year, and Friday we'll work on fourth year. We'll probably end up spending all day on Saturday working on fifth year."

"Sounds like fun."

"Oh, yeah. Loads," agreed Harry sarcastically. Tim grinned and chuckled, finally looking up from his drawing.

"So, what d'you think?" asked Tim, turning the pencil drawing for Harry to see. "Does it look like her?"

Tim had drawn a pencil portrait of Ashley London, and Harry could practically see her personality in the simple sketch. Looking closer, Harry noticed that Tim had put details in there that Harry had never taken notice of before. He had never known that she had seven freckles on her nose, or that her eyebrows arched like that. Thinking back to her, Harry knew that Tim was right, but he was still shocked senseless by the detail yet simplicity of the portrait. It looked exactly like the shy, blonde swimmer.

"That's brilliant!" Harry finally exclaimed once he found his voice again. "That- that looks exactly like her! How the heck did you do that?"

Tim shrugged, a rosy blush tingeing his cheeks. "Dunno. So it really looks like Ashley?"

"Yeah! You should show her. She'd love it."

"Ya think?"

"Yeah."

"Maybe."

"'Night."

"'Night."

* * *

**A/N:**

Woohoo! Thank goodness I got that up! Everybody be sure to check out my profile for the game, and I'll start on chapter four ASAP! Expect it to be posted this weekend sometime, because I'm going to be really busy. My mum is calling a "family conference" now, which can't be good. First off, my father and little brother aren't even home, so it isn't really a "family conference," and secondly, we've only ever had a "family conference" when we were talking about getting an exchange student from Russia. My mother is a drama queen. How much do you wanna bet she's been reading books on parenting? Gotta go. Please Review! I absolutely adore it! And you, of course! ;D At least I know I'll get one review. Woohoo! All my love,

V.C.


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